________________
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JANUARY, 1897.
When Pausanias (A. D. 170) went to consult the oracle of Trophonias, he had to put on a linen habit set off with ribbons. In the temple at Delphi was a navel-shaped white stone with a ribbon hanging from it.99 Ribbons were frequently laid in Greek tombs.100 Greek faneral urns were, and Italian funeral urns are, covered with ribbons. The wand or thyrsos of Dionysos was often adorned with ribbons or bandelets. In a Roman seat of Bacchus in the Louvre the sprays of ornaments end in ribbon bows. The Jewish sect of Essenes had the candidate's white robe fringed with blue ribbons as an emblem of holiness. Phyllacteries, or guards, were ribbons with Bible texts worn by Jews on the brow to scare evil spirits. They continued to be used in Europe till they were denounced by the early Christian Church, The nun at dedication wore a veil and a bllet or ribbon (vitta).
Wedding gnests nt Lorraine wear a cross of blue and scarlot ribbons at their button-holes or in their caps.? For several days after her wedding the Russian bride wears a white muslin dress with pink ribbons. In Bohemia, ribbons are fastened to the Midsummer Pole. No Romanian decked with red ribbons can suffer from the Evil Eye.Jo In Tunis, during a recent (1893) outbreak of cholern, the people pinned ribbons to their clothes to keep off tue epidemic. 11 Mexican women wear a gold rosary round the neck from which hang gold coins and ribbons.12 The key with which the door of the bull-pen is opened before a Mexican bull-fight has a great knot of ribbons.13 Duppies, that is, Jamaica negro shadows, will throttle any puppy that has not a red ribbon collar.14 In the island of Tonga at the new yam feast the yams are decked with ribbons.16 Musalmans in Tibet deck the sacrificial sheep with ribbons and flowers. 16 According to Ovid (A. D. 30), sacred trees were adorned with crowns and ribbons.17 The Ilkhan of Persia (1302) took shelter in a tree. He afterwards visited the tree with his nobles and wives. They fastened ribbons to the tree and danced round it. So Changez Khan's grand uncle Kutluk Khan (C. A. D. 1150) alighted before a tree and made a vow if he won he would come back and bind ribbons round it. He won and danced round the tree. 18 In Italy, the palm and olive branches that are laid on the altar on Palm Sunday are decked with ribbons. In Russia, & girl ties a ribbon round a birch tree and it lets her pass.20 Ribbons are fastened to Abyssinian guitars and to Savoy and Scottish bagpipes.
Christmas wassail bowls in Scotland and in England used to be garnished with ribbons,21 On the brink of many wells in Dumfries and Galloway ribbons and other little articles of female finery have been seen by people yet living fastened so as to wave over the spring. These were offerings for the recovery of sick children.2 Compare the snood in the Scottish maiden's hair, the ribbon in the wedding favour, the ribbon round the wedding cake, the bows of ribbon tied to the mane and tail of the horse for sale, the spear pennon, the ship's pennant, and the ribbon of the Order. At fanerals black and white ribbons used to be worn in England.23 Lord Burleigh, Treasurer of England (A. D. 1570), wore a blue ribbon next his garter studded with snail shells to keep off gout.24 In Northampton, a dead married woman's head was bound with a black ribbon and a maiden's head with a white ribbon,25 In Clee in Lancashire (1829), a band of
08 Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 339.
* Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 319. 300 Op. cit. Vol. II. p. 233.
1 Op. cit. Vol. II. p. 186; MS, Note, 1889. ? Browa's Great Dionysiak Myth., Vol. II. p. 91. : Ms. Note, Feb. 2nd, 1895. Mackay's Freemasonry, p. 22.
6 Henderson's Folk Lone, p. 4. & Smith's Christian Antiquities, p. 1112
+ Polk-Lore Records, Vol. III. Pt. II. p. 260. • Mrs. Romanoff's Ritos arul Customs of the Greco-Russian Church, p. 914. • The Golde. Boul, Yol. I. p. 79: Elworthy's The Evil Eye, p. 101. 10 Notes anul Quries, Fifth Series, Vol. XIII. p. 45, 11 Elworthy's The Evil Eye, p. 59. 12 Harper's None Monthly Magazine, February, 1885, p. 374. 13 Brockleburst's Mexico To-lay, p. 205.
14 The National Reviete, June 1895, p. 557. 15 The Golden Bough, Vol. II. pp. 379, 380. 16 Hue's Travels, Vol. II. p. 28. 11 Potter's Antiquities, Vol. I. p. 232.
12 Howorth's Changiz Khan, p. 155. 19 The Times of India, 4th April 18€5.
* Ralston's Russian PolkTales, p. 140. n Chambers' Book of Day, Vol. II. p. 733; Gentleman's Magarine Library, "Popular Superstitions' D. 77. 12 Allan Cunningham's songs of Scotland, 1825. Chambers' Book of Days, p. 274. 24 Browne, Vol. I. p. 287.
25 Henderson's Foll-Lore, p. 58.
