NOTES ON PART I. 83 PART II. THE CRITICAL DISCUSSION OF YEZIDISM I. THE RELIGIOUS ORIGIN OF THE YEZIDIS 89 I. The Yezidi Myth 89 II. The Christian Tradition 96 III. The Speculative Theories of Western Orientalists 103 IV. The Dogmatic View of Mohammedan Scholars and the Writer’s Own Explanation 118 Notes on Part I. 138 II. THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS IN YEZIDISM 145 I. The Yezidi View of God 145 II. The Deity of the Second Degree 147 1. Melek Ṭâ´ûs 147 2. Šeiḫ ‘Adî 158 3. Yezid 166 Notes on Chapter II. 167 III. OTHER DEITIES AND FESTIVALS 169 I. The So-Called Seven Divinities 169 II. The Day of Sarsal or New Year 174 Notes on Chapter III. 177 IV. SACRAMENTS, RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES AND SACERDOTAL SYSTEM 178 I. Sacraments 178 II. Some Other Religious Practices 180 III. The Sacerdotal Orders 182 Notes on Chapter IV. 185 V. THEIR CUSTOMS 186 I. Marriage 186 II. Funerals 192 III. Nationality 194 IV. Locality 195 V. Dwellings 197 VI. The Language 198 VII. Occupation 198 Notes on Chapter V. 200 VI. LIST OF THE YEZIDI TRIBES 201 The Tribes Across the River from Mosul 201 The Tribes at Sinjar and Jezireh 202 The Tribes of Midyat Region 203 VII. PERSECUTION 205