THERISTRUM, a Greek Word, which signifies a Veil or Scarf, with which the Women of Quality covered their Faces in the Summer time, to keep off the Heat of the Sun. St. Jerome uses this Word to express the Veil with which Tamar covered herself, when she had a mind to be in Disguise.1 It answers to the Hebrew Word Tzaiph, which is translated by a Veil, a Scarf, a Mantle, with which the Eastern Women covered their Head and Face. We read the same Term in Gen. xxiv. 65. where the Vulgate insinuates that Rebecca covered herself with her Mantle: Accepit pallium suum. We read also Theristrum in the Latin Text of Isaiah iii. 23.2 But the Hebrew has Hardidim, which the Septuagint render by Veils to sit at Table in. Others render it by very fine Veils, which the Women used in the Summer. They wore their Bracelets upon their Arms and Legs, next to their Skin; and the Veil covered their Face, Neck, Bosom, and Shoulders, when they were at Home: The Girdle was very precious, and their Sandals probably were adorned with Soles of Gold. The Veil was a kind of Crape, so that they could see through it; or at least a Passage was left for the Light to come to their Eyes.
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