Oriental customs: or an illustration of the sacred Scriptures, by an explanatory application of the customs and manners of the Eastern nations, and especially the Jews. Therein alluded to, together with observations on many difficult and obscure texts, collected from the most celebrated travellers, and the most eminent critics / by Samuel Burder.

  • Samuel Burder
Date:
1802
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Oriental customs: or an illustration of the sacred Scriptures, by an explanatory application of the customs and manners of the Eastern nations, and especially the Jews. Therein alluded to, together with observations on many difficult and obscure texts, collected from the most celebrated travellers, and the most eminent critics / by Samuel Burder. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the hands of Christ, as an act of inauguration, or inves- titure, into his regal power and authority, and that many of the expressions here used are taken from the cere- monies of solemn investitures, in which there are seve- ral instances of its having’ been done by the delivery of a book. No. 589.—v. 8. Golden vials full of odours.] Vials were of common use in the temple service, they were not like those small bottles 'which Ave now call by that name, but were like cups on a plate, in allusion to the censers of gold, in which the priests offered incense in the temple. These censers were a sort of cups, Avhich, because of the heat of the fire burning the incense, were often put upon a plate or saucer. The common custom of drinking tea and other hot liquor out of a cup and saucer will sheAv the form of these censers. Lowman in loc. No. 590.—vi.] St. John evidently supposes paint- ings, or drawings, in that volume which he saw in the visions of God ; the first figure being that of a man on a white horse, Avith a bow in his hand, &c. The eastern manuscripts are thus ornamented. Olearius (p. 638.) describing the library belonging to the famous sepulchre of Schich Sefi, says, that the manuscripts are all ex- tremely well written, beautifully bound, and those of history illustrated Avith many representations in minia- ture. The more ancient books of the East are found to be beautified in this manner ; for Pococke speaks in his travels of tAvo manuscripts of the Pentateuch, one in the monastry of Patmos, the other belonging to the bishop of Smyrna, adorned Avith se\-eral paintings Avell ex- ecuted for the time, one of Avhich is supposed to be above 900 years old. Harmer, vol. ii. p. 181.