Page:Frederic Shoberl - Persia.djvu/131

112 is generally made of cloth, shawl, or cotton stuff folded; and is worn in winter only.

5. The outer robe is always of cloth; it is worn or not, according to the weather. The robe has as many names as there are forms of which it is susceptible. It is called tikmeh, when the sleeves are open as high as the elbow, and when it is round, buttons before, and falls like a petticoat over the shawl that serves for a girdle; omeh, when it is open on both sides from the hips; and biroonee, when it is loose, with wide sleeves hanging carelessly from the shoulders.

6. The shalee-kemr, or shawl girdle, fastened round the waist over the caba. This girdle is, according to the circumstances of the wearer, either a real Cashmere, a Kerman shawl, or a piece of flowered muslin. In this girdle is stuck the candjar, a kind of dagger, the handle of which is sometimes enriched with precious stones, and at others merely of ivory or wood.

The Persians have, also, pelisses of very rich stuff, trimmed with furs, such as the catabee, which covers the whole body, and is trimmed with fur down the back, at the shoulders, at the elbows, and in the inside. This is the richest and most showy garment of the whole Persian costume.

The coordee, a sort of jacket, which fits close to the body and the skirts of which fall :over the thighs. The catabee and coordee were worn in Chardin's time.

The kolah, or cap, worn by the Persians, while more convenient, keeps the head not less warm than the turban. It is made of lamb-skin, with short, curly black wool, lined with a greyish skin of not so fine a quality, terminating in a skull-cap of red or azure blue cloth, or merely of white sheep-skin. The only distinction there is in this species of head-dress, consists in a shawl wound about the kolah; and this distinction is reserved for the king, the princes of his family and a few of the nobles, the great officers of state, and the magistrates.

The inhabitants of the town wear, in winter, socks of worsted or cotton. The country people wear no stockings in summer, and in winter they wrap pieces of cloth about their legs.

The Persians have three sorts of shoes or slippers, and two of boots. People of the higher classes wear green slippers, with heels an inch thick. A low slipper, of red or yellow leather, having an iron in shape of a horse-shoe at the heel, was formerly worn. The lower classes use strong shoes of leather or quilted cotton, with fiat soles, and turned up at the toes.

One of the sorts of boots has high heels, turns up at the toe, and covers the whole leg. The others are smaller, tighter, and only reach up to the calf.

When a Persian is going to ride, he puts on a pair of wide