CAMELS-HAIR. St. John Baptist was clothed in a Garment made of Camels-hair, not with a Camel’s skin, as our Painters and Sculptors sometimes describe him, but with coarse camlet made of camel’s Hair. This creature in some particular places yields very fine silk, whereof there are stuffs made of very great price; but its hair is hard, and scarce fit for any but coarse habits, and a kind of hair-cloths. This is a remark by the Author of the imperfect work upon St. Matthew, which is printed among St. Ælian. Hist. Animal. l. 17. c. 34.Chrysostom’s works. Ælian relates, that there are camels upon the Caspian sea, with so fine a wool, that it is no way inferior to that of Miletus; that the Priests and richest People of the country wear the stuff which is made of it. Some are of opinion, that camlet derives its name from camel, because it is wrought out of the Wool and Hair of camels: but at present there is no Camels Hair in the composition of it.
Library / Calmet's Dictionary of the Holy Bible, Complete and Unabridged
Volume I · H
Camels-Hair
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Augustin Calmet, O.S.B., “Camels-Hair,” in Calmet's Dictionary of the Holy Bible, Complete and Unabridged, English translation, Mind of the Church, https://mindofthechurch.com/works/calmet-dictionary/h/camels-hair/.