The women of Turkey and their folk-lore

Front matter

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Contents

THE SEMITIC WOMEN.

CHAl'.

I. The Jewish Women — their Social Status and Activities ; Family Ceremonies ;"&c. II. The Dulme Women— their Social Status and Activities ; &:c.

Chapter I

VLACH WOMEN ; THEIE SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES — PAMILY CEEE- MONIES — BELIEFS AND SUPBESTITIONS — AND POLK-POESY.

Vlach Nomads, 3 ; An Encampment, 4 ; Moimtain Homes, 5 ; Vlach Centres, 6 ; A Vlaoh Household, 7 ; Social Status and Morality, 9 ; Industries, 10 ; Appearance, 10 ; Attachment to Homes, 1 1 ; Education, 11; The Eoumanian Propaganda, 12; Birth Customs, 13; Evil Spirits, 13; Baptism, 13 ; Wedding Customs, 13; The Preliminaries, 14 ; Announcing the Betrothal, 14 ; The Flamhoro, 14 ; The Bridegroom's Toilet, 15; Wedding by Capture, 15; Scrambling for the Cake, 15; The Procession, 16; Bringing Home the Bride, 16; Anointing the Door, 16 ;■ Kissing Hands, 16 ; Death Customs, 17; The Feast of the Dead, 17; The Rosalia, 17; Religious Observances, 18; New Year's Day, 18; The " Feast of the Kings," 18; ViUiemi, 18; Stea, 19 ; The Filijn, 19; The "Fairy of Tuesday Even," 20; The Procession for Rain, 20; The Klithona, 20; Christmas Customs, 21; The House Serpent, 21 ; A Preventive of Hydrophobia, 21 ; Folk-poesy, 22 ; Supernatural Beings, 22 ; The Doinas, or Ballads, 23 ; " The Ring and the Veil," 23 ; " The Cuckoo and the Turtle-dove," 25 ; " The Sun and the Moon," 27.

CHAPTER II. GREEK women: THEIK SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES

Appearance, 31 ; Someots, 32; Social Status, 32 ; Introduction of Divorce, 32 ; Respect for Parents, 33 ; Greek Heroines, 33 ; A Company of Amazons, 34 ; The Women of Missolonghi, 35 ; A Greek Authoress, 36 ; A Heroine's Funeral, 37 ; Marighitza, 38 : A Brigand Chieftainess, 38 ; Haidee, 39 ; Peasant Women, 39 ; Habitations, 40 ; Field and Farm Work, 40; The Shepherdess, 41 ; Indlustries, 42 : Spinning and Weaving, 43 ; Silkworm-rearing, 43 ; Cretan Women, 43 ; The Olive Harvest, 44 ; Cypriote Needlework, 44 ; Holidays, 44 ; Dress, 44 ; The Dance on the Green, 45 ; Dancing Songs, 46 ; Pantomimic Dancing, 47 ; The Swing, 48 ; A Swing Song, 48 ; The Harvest Home, 48 ; Married Life, 49 ; Rigidity of Morals, 49 ; A Terrible Expiation, 49; Domestic Virtues, 50; The Absent Husband, 51 ; Domestic Service, 51 ; Cooks and Nurses, 52 ; Thrifty Habits, 52 ; Slovenliness, 53 ; " Soul-Children," 53 ; Honesty and Sobriety, 53 ; Relations with Turks, 54 ; " Demos and the Turkish Maid," 54 ; A Perversion at Salonica, 55 ; Terrible Tragedy, 56 ; "A Turk I'll not Wed," 57 ; Greek Townswomen, 58 ; Dress, 58 ; Occupations, 58 ; Love of Display, 59 ; Family Ties, 60 ; Songs of Exile, 61 ; Education, 62 ; Increase of

AISTALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENT,S. ix

Girls' Schools, 62 ; Subjects, 63 ; Training Colleges and High gghools, 64 ; Munificent Ladies, 64 ; A Greek Mnemosynon, 65 ; Phanariote Women, 67 ; Their Culture, 67 ; Philanthropic Work, 68 ; Proposed Educational Changes, 68.

Chapter III. Geeek ■women : Thbie Family Cbbbmokies

Pagan Customs, 69 ; Salting the Baby, 69 ; Precautions against the Nereids, 70; Changelings, 70; The Libation, 71 ; Propitiating the Fates, 71; The Christening, 71 ; Godfathers and Godmothers, 71 ; Conventional Relationships, 72 ; The Procession, 72 ; Trine Immersion, 73 ; Infant Confirmation and Communion, 73 ; Dedication of Hair, 73 ; Bonbons and Crosses, 73 ; Wedding Customs, 74 ; Prohibited Degxees, 74 ; Go-betweens, 75 ; The Betrothal, 75 ; The Trousseau, 76 ; Marriage Portions, 76 ; Broken Engagements, 77 ; Observances at Yodhena, 78 ; The Week's Festivities, 78 ; Making the Wedding Cake, 78 ; The Exchange of Presents, 79 ; The Bride's Toilette, 80 ; Wedding Songs, 80 ; Shaving the Bridegroom, 81 ; Lucky and Unlucky Days, 82 ; The Bridegroom's Procession, 82 ; The Libation, 82 ; The Second Betrothal, 83; Girding the Bridegroom, 84; The Wedding Dress, 84; "Bride, hast thou the Shoes ? " 84 ; The Religious Ceremony, 84 ; Emblems of Plenty, 85 ; The Bride's Farewell, 86 ; The Dance on the Green, 87 ; Taking Home the Bride, 88 ; Propitiating the Water Deities, 89 ; Final Festivities, 89 ; Death Customs, 90 ; Laying out the Corpse, 90 ; Dirges, 91 ; Lament for a Father, 93 ; For a House-mistress, 93 ; For a Daughter, 94; For a Son, 94, 96 ; The Fee for Charon, 97 ; The Procession to the Grave, 97 ; The Beligious Eite, 98 ; The Funeral Feast, 98; Sweeping the House, 98; Mourning, 98; The Kdlyva, 99; Gifts to the Poor, 100; Exhumation of the Body, 100; The Sala, loi ; Pranks of the Turkish gamin, 102.

Chapter IV. Geeek Women : Beliefs And Supeestitioks

The Orthodox Greek Church, 103 ; Dogmas, 103 ; Clergy, 103 ; Importance attached to Ritual, 104; Reform Impossible, 105; The Wives of the Clergy, 105; Greek Churches, 106; Convents and Nuns, 107; An Epirote Nunnery, 107; An Island Convent, 109; Morality of tiie Nuns, 109 ; The Ecclesiastical Year, 109 ; Fasting, 109 ; Church Festivals, ,111 ; St. Basil, iii; Epiphany, 112; The Feast of the Lights, 112; The Carnival, 112; Lent, 113; The Feast of St. Lazarus, 114; Palm

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Sunday, :i4; Red Eggs, 115; Good Friday Superstitions, 116; Tlie Solemnity in the Church, 116; Turkish Guards, 117; The Resurrection, 117 ; Easter Greetings, 118; The Feast of the Annunciation, 119; Nature Worship, 119; The Swallows' Greeting, 120; May Day, 120; St. John's Eve in Thessaly, 120; In Macedonia, 121 ; In Cappadocia, 122; The Fishoti, 123; The Procession for Rain, 123; Pagan Gods and Christian Saints, 124 ; Their Annual Festivals, 125 ; Votive OflEerings, 125; Family Festivals, 126; Charity, 127; Sacred Fountains, 127; Their Festivals, 128; Classic Nymphs replaced by the Virgin, 128; The Genius, or Stoicheion, 128; The Widow's Sons and the Stoichelon, 129; The Battle of the Stoicheia, 130 ; The Stoicheia of St. Paul, 130 ; The Drakos, 131 ; Nereids, Lamias, and Sirens, 131 ; Precautions taken against them, 132; Their Connection with Storms, 133 ; The Lamia and Yanni, 134 ; The Lamia as a Housewife, 135 ; The Fates, 135; The Vampire, 136; Not of Slav Origin, 136; Causes of Vampirism, 136; "Laying" a Vampire, 137; A Cretan Vampire Story, 139; A Vampire Panic at Adrianople, 141; Witches, 142; SiDells and Curses, 142 ; Fortune-telling, 143 ; Corpse Caudles, 144 ; Antidotes for the Evil Eye, 145 ; " The Envy of the Gods," 146 ; Passing a Child through the Fire, 147 ; Antipathy to Grey Eyes, 148 ; Divinations, 149; Owls Heralds of Death, 150; Omens, 150; Things Lucky and Things Unlucky, 151 ; Exorcising Vermin, T52 ; Oriental Gestures, 152 ; Contemptuous Epithets, 153.

Chapter V. Greek Women : Thbik Folk-poesy

Religious Legends, 154; Histories of Saints, 154; St. George of Cappadocia, 155; His -Martyrdom, 155; His Amenability to Bribery, 156; The Vow to St. George, 156 ; The Fox and St. George, 157 ; The Story of Kosma and Damianus, 159 ; The Head of St. John the Baptist, 161 ; The Peddler and the Serpent, 163 ; The Three Wonderful Dresses, 165 ; The Prince and the Foal, 178 ; The Just One, 185.

Note on the Idbntieication of St. George with Hobus and Khidhe, 191.

Chapter VI. Armenian Women ; Thbik Social Status And Activities

The Armenians in History, 194 ; The Last Armenian King, 195 ; Legendary Origin of the Armenians, 195; The Armenian Quarter, 196; Ancient Houses, 196 ; Modern Dwellings, 197 ; Middle-class Homes,

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. xi

197; Armenian Mansions, 198; Houses at Erzeroum, 199; The Ox Stable. 200 ; Erzeroum in Winter, 201 ; Dwellings of the Armenian Peasantry, 201 ; Social Status of Women in Armenia, 202 ; Patriarchal Customs, 202 ; The " Subjection of the Daughter-in-law," 203 ; Status in Smyrna and Constantinople, 205 ; An Armenian Ball, 206 ; The Travelled Armenian Lady, 206 ; Domestic Virtues, 207 ; " Pure " and "Coarse" Armenians, 208; Armenian Beauties, 208 ; "The Seventh Heaven of Mohammed," 209 ; Use of Cosmetics, 209 ; Home-made Rose-water, 210; Dress, 211 ; Fondness for Bright Colours, 211 ; Dishabille, 212; Native Costumes, 212; The Cone-fruit Pattern, 213; Costumes at Kaisariyeh and Sivas, 213; Domestic Service, 214 ; Lace-making, 214; A School of Art Needlework, 214; Home Industries, 215; Fondness for Animals, 216; Cats with Dyed Tails, 216; Armenian Salutations, 217; Education, 217 ; Training Colleges, 218; Mission Schools, 218 ; Loss of Language, 219; Schools at Smyrna and Constantinople, 219; Literary Women, 220 ; Armenian Actresses, 220 ; Armenian Literature, 220 ; More Imitation than Creation, 220 ; Literary Revival, 221 ; Armenian Patriotism, 221.

Chapter VII. Armenian Women : Theie Family Ceremonies

Armenian Birth Customs, 222 ; Keeping away the Demons, 222 ; The Mother's Reception, 222 ; Irregular Training, 223 ; The Christening, 223 ; The Holy Chrism, 226 ; The Baby's Confirmation, 228 ; Its First Communion, 229 ; The Bath Feast, 229 ; The Forty Days' Ceremony, 229 ; Superstitions connected with the Forty Days, 230 ; Precautions against. the Djins, 231; Wedding Observances, 232; The Betrothal, 232 ; Courtship, 233 ; The Hars'nih, 233 ; Preliminary Festivities, 234 ; The Wedding Dress, 235 ; A Shower of Coins, 235 ; The Bridegroom's Toilet, 235 ; The Barber's Benefit, 236 ■, The Second Betrothal, 236 ; The Procession to Church, 237 ; The Religious Ceremony, 238 ; The Sacrifice, 239; Subsequent Festivities, 239 ; "Wearing the Crowns," 240; The Husband's Gift, 240; The "Veil of Silence," 241; The Ceremony at the Well, 241 ; Precautions against the Djins, 241 ; Blessing the Wedding Garments, 242 ; Propitious Days, 242 ; Mixing the Brides, 243 ; Funeral Customs, 243 ; Laying out the Corpse, 244 ; The Religious Ceremony, 244 ; Funeral Cakes, 246 ; Ancient Tombstones, 246 ; " Passage Money," 247 ; Journey of the Soul to Jerusalem, 248 ; Appropriating the Lost Life of the Dead, 248.

xu ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Chapter VIII. Armenian Women : Theie Beliefs And Supeestitions

The Gregorian Church, 249 ; Its Three Periods, 249 ; Legendary Correspondence between Jesus and Abgar, 250 ; St. Gregory, "the Illuminator,'' 251 ; His Tortures, 252 ; The Story of Ripsimeh and Gaianeh, 252 ; Conversion of Tiridates, 253 ; Doctrines, 254 ; Fasts and Feasts, 254 ; May Day at Smyrna, 255 ; Holy Pictures, 256 ; Attendance at Church, 257 ; Wives of the Clergy, 257 ; Blessing the House, 258 ; Pilgrimages, 259 ; Armenian Churches, 259 ; The Monastery and Church of Etchmiadzin, 260; Its Legends, 261 ; Mount Ararat, or Massis, 261; The Abode of Supernatural Beings, 262; "Noah's Vineyard," 263; Erzeroum the Site of Paradise, 264; Legend of Khosref Purveez, 264 ; Flowers of Eden, 265 ; Catholic Missionaries, 266; "United Armenians," 266; Mekhitar, Theologian, Scholar, and Patriot, 267 ; Educational Work of the Mekhitarists, 26S ; The Armenian Bible, 268 ; Protestant Missions, 268.

Chapter IX. Armenian Women : Theie Polk-poesy

National Traditions, 270; Religious Legends, 271 ; The Story of the Fall, 271 ; Animal Stories, 276 ; "How the Tame Goose lost the Use of its Wings," 276 ; " How the Devil invented the Eudder,'' 277 ; " The King's Daughter and the Bath Boy," 278 ; Armenian Folk-songs, 293; The Stork's Welcome, 294 ; The Partridge, 295 ; Children's Song, 296.

Chapter X. Bulgarian Women : Theie Social Status And Activities

Physical Features, 297 ; Social Status of Townswomen, 298 ; Evening Parties, 298 ; Status of Peasant Women, 299 ; Patriarchal Customs, 300 ; Dwellings, 301 ; Thrift, 302 ; National Costumes, 302; Industry, 303 ; Field-work, 304 ; Arcadian Scenes, 304 ; The Harvest, 304 ; The Vintage, 304; "French Plums," 305; Rose Culture, 305; The Bose Harvest, 305 ; Silk Bearing, 306 ; Women-labourers, 307 ; An Old Servant, 307 ; Amusements, 309 ; The Dance, 309 ; The Bear-dance, 310; Women as Brigands, 310 ; Morals, 311; Education, 312 ; Irregularities of the Language, 312 ; Girls' Schools, 313; A Lyceum at Philipopolis, 313; Foreign Education, 314.

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. xiii

Chapter XI. Bulgarian Women : Theib Family Cbeemonibs

Birth Customs, 315 ; Salting the Baby, 315 ; A Strange Preventive of Sunstroke, 315; Precautions against the Evil Eye, 316; Against the Powers of the Air, 316; Taking the Bread Shovel to Church, 316; Wedding Observances, 316 ; The Trousseau, 317 ; Buying a Wife, 317; The Betrothal, 317; Runaway Matches, 319; Preparations for the Wedding, 319 ; Invitation Cakes, 320 ; Inspecting the Trousseau, 320; The Bride's Toilette, 321 ; The Wedding Dress, 321 ; A Wedding near Salonioa, 321 ; The Eeligious Ceremony, 322; The Feast, 322 ; Taking Home the Bride, 323; Offering to the Water Nymphs, 324; Funeral Customs, 324 ; Laying out the Corpse, 325 ; The Religious Ceremony, 325 ; The Death Feast, 326 ; Food for the Dead, 326.

Chapter XII. Bulgakian Women : Theie Beliefs And Supeestitions

The Bulgarian Church, 327 ; Religion a Practical Matter, 328 ; Pantheism, 328 ; Heathen Festivals and Christian Anniversaries, 329 ; The Kulada, 329 ; The Feast of St. Demetrius, 330 ; The Matrons' Day, 330 ; Lent, 330 ; " Mother March," 330 ; Why Fish may be Eaten on the Blagostina, 331 ; Legend of St. George's Day, 332 ; Assumption Offerings, 333 ; Nature Worship, 333 ; Supernatural Beings, 334 ; Precautions against the Sun, 335 ; The Tellestim, 335 ; The Vampire, 336 ; His First Stage, 336; His Second Stage, 337; La3'ing the Vampire, 337 ; The Witch, 337 ; Her Medical Powers, 338 ; Antidotes for the Evil Eye, 339 ; Adets or Customs, 339 ; Exorcising Vermin, 340.

Chapter XIII. Bulgakian Women : Theib Folk-poesy

The Bulgarian Vernacular, 342 ; Historical Traditions, 342 ; Legend of Deli Marko, 343 ; The Story of Yanko the Wrestler, 345 ; Bulgarian Folk-poetry, 348 ; Dancing Songs, 349 : Native Collectors, 349 ; Char acter of the Songs, 349 ; Ballad of the Wife of Momir, 350 ; Fraternal Affection, 351 ; The Youdas, or Fates, 351 ; The Samodiva Married against her Will, 352 ; Casting Spells on Nature, 355 ; Eada carried off by a Dragon, 355 ; The Sun Bewitched, 357 ; Christ and the Samodivas, 358; Penka's Adieu to her Brigand Life, 359; "There's but Niko in the World," 361 ; The Idle Reapers, 362 ; The Toilette, or the Helpful Mother-in-Law, 363.

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS.

OHAPTEE XIV.

PRANK WOMEN : THBIE SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES — FAMILY CBEE- MONIES — BELIEFS AND SUPEBSTITIOKS — AND FOLK-POESY.

The Frank Quarters, 366 ; " Only Catholics," 367 ; Convent Schools, 367 ; Education, 368 ; Polyglots, 369 ; Appearance, 36c; ; Protestant Franks, 370; Curious Manners, 371 ; The Tandour, ■^•jo.; Consuls' Wives, 372; Their Influence for Good, 373 ; A Romantic Incident, 374 ; Amusements, 375 ; East and West, 376 ; Levies at the Windows, 376 ; Carnival Diversions, 377 ; A Conspiracy, 378 ; Borrowed Folk-lore, 379 ; The Franks in Greek Folk-poesy, 379 ; The YanneotopoiUa, 380 ; " A Frank I'll not Marry,'' 380 The Siren and the Seamen, 381.

Preface To Introduction

In perusing the proof-sheets of Miss Garnett's Women of Turkey and their Folk-lore, it seemed to me that such an unique collection of facts was presented as should not only be found entertaining by the general reader, but might also be found serviceable by the scientific student ; and I have written the Introductory Chapters to this volume, and propose to write the Concluding Chapters of the nest, in the hope, at least, that I may thus, perhaps, make this collection of facts more suggestively instructive in relation to current theories. But facts cannot but be regarded from the point of view ot some hypothesis or other, either formulated or anformulated. And naturally, therefore, there will be found in these Introductory Chapters, not only the special ethnographical and other facts which it has appeared desirable to set forth, but outlines of that new ethnological theory of the Origin of Civilisation, and of the chief deductions therefrom, from the point of view of which I would myself regard the facts brought together in Miss Garnett's Chapters.

I have thus been led to express views, not only with respect to the Origin of Civilisation, but to the Origin of the Aryans, the importance of Eace-relations and -intermixtures, the Origin of Mythology, and the Method of Folk-lore, which are in direct opposition to the views now generally current, and to which the works of Professor Max Mliller, Mr. Herbert Spencer, and Professor Edward Tyler have given a certain orthodoxy. But it must be noted, that the characteristic views of these xvi PflEFACE TO INTEODUCTION.

eminent antliors were for tlie most part formed, and even formulated, a quarter of a century ago ; and that hardly any quarter of a centiiry can be named during which the results of scientific research have been so revolutionary in their bearing on formerly accepted theories. And if my present very narrow limits of space have obliged me, with an appearance of dogmatism which these limits made unavoidable, to express views more in accordance, as I think, with the results of later research, I trust that I shall not be deemed guilty of any sort of disrespect to authors the perusal of whose earlier works formed epochs in my life.

If, however, I must thus excuse my opposition to some scholars and thinkers, I must express my obligations to others for much encouragement and assistance, and particularlj' to Professor Sayce and Professor De Lacouperie. For they have seen that the main drift of my researches is to generalise that derivation of later Civilisations from Egyptian, and particularly from Chaldean Civilisation, which Professor Sayce has so admirably demonstrated in the case of Semitic, and Professor De Lacouperie in the case of Chinese Civilisation, and which I hope to be able to demonstrate in the case of the European Civilisations. And if, without implicating Professor De Lacouperie in my shortcomings, I may give myself the satisfaction of expressing my gratitude, I would especially acknowledge the quite invaluable assistance I have received from that distinguished scholar ever since I had the honour of making his acquaintance, on reading my first paper, in 1887, on the ethnological theory of the Origin of Civilisation.

The Shealing, Wimbledon Common, June 20, 1890.

THE

WOMEN OF TURKEY.

INTEODUCTORY CHAPTER I.

THE ETHNOGRAPHY OF TURKEY.

In the highest degree misleading is, T think, the hypothesis which dispenses with study of Ethnology as properly both an antecedent to, and a concomitant of, study of Folk-lore. This hypothesis, in the words of Professor Tylor, affirms that "it is both possible and desirable [in a scientific study of Folk-beliefs and -customs] to eliminate considerations of hereditary varieties or races of rnen, and to treat mankind as homogeneous in nature."' On this hypothesis are based all the presently popular collections of Folklore— collections of facts as to so-called " Primitive Culture," and the so-called " Origin of Civilisation," &c. And with this hypothesis is intimately associated another — " the thesis " which Dr. Tylor " sustains " — " that the savage state in some measure represents an early condition of mankind out of which the higher culture has gradually been developed or evolved by

^ Prliiiitive Culture, vol. i. p, 6,

b xviii THE WOMEN OF TURKEY. [int.

processes still in regular operation as of old."^ These ' ' processes, "however, Professor Tylor nowhere defines, and he appears to regard them as of a spontaneous, certainly, at least, not as of an ethnological character. But, in an earlier book of Dr. Tylor's, there is a passage which the contradictory dogmatism of his later work" makes remarkable. " It does not seem," said Mr. Tylor, in his earlier Researches, "to be an unreasonable, or even an over-sanguine view that the mass of analogies in art and knowledge, mythology, and custom .... may already be taken to indicate that the civilisations of many races . . . .have. . . . derived common material from a common source. But that such lines of argument should ever .... enable the student to infer .... that the civilisation of the whole world has its origin in one parent stock is ... . rather a theoretical possibility than a state of things of which even the most dim and distant view is to be obtained."^ This bare "theoretical possibility," however, as Professor Tylor esteemed it in 1865, and appears, since then, altogether to have lost sight of, I believe that I shall be able — by a mere co-ordination of the results of research during the last

1 Primitive Oidture, vol. i. p. 28.

'^ I may refer particularly to Dr. Tylor's confident assertions that such "traditions" as those in which "the half-civilised races of South America traced their rise from the condition of the savage tribes around them " — {ibid. pp. 318 scq., and compare p. 35) — are mere Sun and Moon myths. " These legends," he continues, " have been appealed to even by modern vrriters " (as if the supposition were quite too ridiculous) " as gratefully remembered records of real human benefactors who carried long ago to America the culture of the Old World." But I venture to think that the facts which I have brought together in my Traditions of the Arcliaian White Baees {Trans. B. Hist. Sac. i88g), though not a tenth part of those which I have collected as bearing on the subject, give a rather different aspect to these Tylorian " Sun and Moon myths."

3 Early History of Manlcind, p. 368.

INT.] THE ETHNOGRAPHY OF TURKEY. xix

quarter of a century — to verify as an historical reality. It will then be shown that it is not the fact — as Professor Tylor, Mr. Spencer/ and Sir John Lubbock appear, in the words of the last-named, to believe — " that various races have independently raised themselves from utter barbarism." ' On the contrary, not only will it be shown that eighty years of research have not disproved Niebuhr's assertion that no single savage race can be named which has risen independently to civilisation,' but it will be shown that aU the facts accumulated, during the last decade particularly of these eighty years, with respect to the Primitive Civilisations of the origins of which we know anything — those of Egypt and Chaldea — go to prove that the essential condition of such origins was the action of a Higher White Race on Lower Coloured and Black Races ; and that research is almost every week bringing forward new proof that all the Later Civilisations — as certainly the Semitic Civilisations of Assyria and Judea," the Chinese Civilisation,' and probably also the Aryan Civilisations of both Asia" and Europe' — were either

' Compare Principles of Sociology — Tlie Factors of Social Phenomena, either in the original work, or in Mr. Collins's Epitome.

^ Origin of Civilisation^ p. 479.

* See, e.g., Sayce, Babylonian Beligion, and Wellhansen, Proleg.to History of Israel.

' See De Laoouperie, 2'he Languages of China before tlie CJiinete, and his articles inthe-Ba5. and Or. Pecord, vols. i. ii. and iii., and partioularlythe last.

° See Hewitt, Early History of Northern India — J. B. Asiatic Soe. 1889-90.

' The results of research leading to this conclusion will be co-ordinated and summarised in my forthcoming work on Ancient Hellas. D'ArboisMe

XX THE WOMEN OF TURKEY. [int.

directly or indirectly derived from one or other of these Primitive Civilisations. Nothing of a supernatural character, hov^ever, is — it should be unnecessary to say— attributed to the Higher White Races, the Founders of these Primitive Civilisations, nor in fact anything more, in the way of intellectual and practical ability, than an anatomist v\rould infer vs^ho compared an ancient Archaian, and an ancient Negroid or Mongoloid skull of the Nile, or of the Euphrates Valley, and who considered, at the same time, the conditions under which the brains in these respective brain-pans functioned. For not only is the Archaian type — and especially the earlier the skull or portrait is — as fine cerebrally as we believe our own Aryan type to be ; but the Archaian Colonists knew how to exact from their Coloured and Black subjects all the produce of their labour, save so much a,s was required to ensure the continuance of such labour ; and through the wealth thus obtained they enjoyed the fullest means of intellectual development in abundant leisure for observation and speculation.

Such is the ethnological theory of the Origin of Civilisation which I venture to oppose to the theories, not essentially differing from each other, of Mr. Spencer, Dr. Tylor, and Sir John Lubbock ; and which I hope to be able, not only fully to verify, but directly to connect with the correlative physiological principles

Jubainville {Premiers Habitants de V Europe, t. i. 1. i. chaps, iv. and v.) has shown the extent of the settlements of the Pelasgians, recognised their non- Aryan character, and even connected them with the Hittites. But, as he has "laissfi de oStfe " both prehistoric archaaology and ethnology, he has missed, as I think, the solution of the problem of European, and more particularly Hellenic, Origins.

INT.] THE ETHNOGRAPHY OF TURKEY. xxi

of Anabolism and Katabolisrn ; and hence, with the ultimate principles of the General Theory of Origins, and. with that, as I believe, most fundamental of scientific facts and philosophical principles : Every Existence has a determined, and determining Co-existence. Here, however, I need only point out that, with such a theory of the Origin of Civilisation, an Ethnographical Chapter must be considered a necessary introduction to any such comparative account of social activities, family ceremonies, beliefs, and superstitions, and folkpoesies as will be found in these volumes ; and especially as the Women of Turkey belong, not only to the oldest, and most historically interesting, but to the most diverse races of that White Variety of Mankind, the conquerors and civilisers of all other peo^ples. And in these ethnographical notes on the dozen peoples of Turkey, I shall deal with the various races in the order of their historical antiquity.

I. Following the rule just stated, we must begin our notes with the Kukds. For the very name of the Kvirds, variously called by classic authors, KajoSa/ctc,

Gordiaei, and even XaXSatoi/ affords at least prima facie evidence for connecting them with the ancient Chaldeans, the initiators of Civilisation in the Euphrates Valley. It would here be out of place to set forth the various facts which corroborate this inference from the very name of Kurds.' Here I

1 See the classical authorities as cited by Lenormant, Origines de VSisioire, torn. ii. i'* partie, p. 4.

^ To the " nombreuses dissertations de la part des Srudits modernes," referred to by Lenormant {op. cit. p. 5, n. i), as treating of the " parents reelle ou supposee " of the Kurds with the Chaldeans, I may add the essay xxii THE WOMEN OF TURKEY. [int.

need only say that I believe that I have already verified/ and shall be able, in forthcoming vs^orks, still more conclusively, both from monumental and traditional evidence, to verify the following generalisations. First, that the initiators of Civilisation in the two great River Valleys of the Euphrates and the NUe, belonged to a White Eace which, as pre-Semitic and pre- Aryan, and as a race, indeed, from which both Semites and Aryans were probably derived, may best, perhaps, be distinguished as the ArchaianWhite Eace ; secondly, that White Eaces may be ethnologically defined as Eaces vrith long or short heads, high noses, unprojecting jaws, long hair and beards, and light-coloured skins ; and, thirdly, that, save the mainly Aryan character now of the Kurdish language — a fact of little ethnological significance — there are, to say the least, no facts definitely disproving, while many facts may be adduced, from the later results of research, which distinctly coiToborate, that connection with the Archaian White Eaces which appears to be indicated by the names given to the Kurds by Greek and Latin authors. Among such facts are, for instance, those recently set forth by M. Halevy, in his paper on The Nation of the Mards.^ For it is there shown that the w^hole of the vast chain of the Zagros, part of which has now the name of Kurdistan, and all the highland country between the plains

of Eberhard Sohrader, Die Ahstammung der Chaldder, &c. in the Zeitschr. d. deustch. morgenl. Gesellsch., Bd. xxvii., though I here suggest a conclusion different to that which he maintains.

1 The Traditions of the Archaian White Eaces, in the Trans, of the Roy. Mst. Soc. for 1889.

^ See Babylonian and Oriental Record, March 1890 ; and compare Rev.des Mudes Juives, 1889, p. 174.

INT.] THE ETHNOGRAPHY OF TURKEY. xxiii

of the Euphrates and Tigris, and the ancient Aryana of Iran or Persia — in other words, Media and Susiana, Kossea and Elam — was, from the remotest historic times, inhabited by non-Semitic and non-Aryan, or, as I have ventured to distinguish them, Archaian tribes, forming the great nation of the Amardians, or Mards. And hence, to refer the Kurds ethnologically to the Archaian Stock is but to suppose that they belong to the same Stock as that which, from the earliest historic times, and without any known break caused by extermination, has occupied the country of the Kui'ds. The independent position also of the Kurdish women, with the freedom and consideration they enjoy, is but one of the customs which might be cited in corroboration of this theory of the ethnological connection of the Kurds with the ancient Chaldeans.' Nor, seeing how very much an affair of blood Religion is, is it irrelevant to note that the Kurds have the reputation of being very bad Moslems, or, in other words, of being very little touched by the Semitic notion of Allah. And the national Kurdish characteristic of energetic enterprise, though now chiefly manifested but in predatory raids, might also be held, if not to corroborate, at least to harmonise with, this theory of their Amardian descent and Chaldean kinship.