Antiquities of the Orient unveiled, containing a concise description of the remarkable ruins of King Solomon's temple, and store cities ,together with those of all the most ancient and renowned cities of the East, including Babylon, Nineveh, Damascus, and Shushan . TheKhanjar is a token of the protection she expectsfrom her husband; but it is likewise an instru-ment destined to expiate her guilt if she has trifledwith her maiden honor, violates her marriage vow,—?or even fails in her duty as an obedient and duteouswife. All parties then enter the house; and thebride proceeds to the bath, where
Antiquities of the Orient unveiled, containing a concise description of the remarkable ruins of King Solomon's temple, and store cities ,together with those of all the most ancient and renowned cities of the East, including Babylon, Nineveh, Damascus, and Shushan . TheKhanjar is a token of the protection she expectsfrom her husband; but it is likewise an instru-ment destined to expiate her guilt if she has trifledwith her maiden honor, violates her marriage vow,—?or even fails in her duty as an obedient and duteouswife. All parties then enter the house; and thebride proceeds to the bath, where she spends the daywith her companions; while the men mount theirhorses and amuse themselves with their favorite gamesOf remain smoking and drinking in the house. Thisceremony is twice repeated. On the night of thewedding, the women conduct the bridegroom to thenuptial chamber where the bride awaits him, coveredfrom head to foot with a red veil spangled with gold;the bridegroom removes this, upon which the womenrun out of the room screaming and gabblingat the top of their voices,—this is the signal for agreat uproar throughout the house, which is kept upfor several hours, the men assisting in the din byperforming the dance of arms, capering about, and. i putting themselves in all sorts of wild and ludicrousattitudes, clashing their sabres and yataghans together,and feigning to be in a towering passion. All thisnoise and confusion is made to drive away the djinsand other evil spirits which are believed to be verybusy about the house on such occasions. Although the marriage ceremony occupies from twoto three days, yet it requires but an instant to dissolvethe contract, as every Druze possesses absolute powerto repudiate his wife on paying the dowry stipulatedwhen he takes her, and the only divorce necessary isfor the husband to oj)en his door and say to her if a wife asks permission of her husband tovisit her relatives, and it is given without requestingher to return,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbible, bookyear1875
