The Historical Child: Paidology; The Science of the ChildChrisman, Oscar
History
The Historical Child: Paidology; The Science of the Child
Chrisman, Oscar
Children; Manners and customs
The ladies of Old Greek times well understood how to adorn, enhance, and
remodel the human figure. As was stated above, they hung on to the
figure all kinds of ornaments--rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets,
etc.; they could curl and dye and increase the amount of hair; they
painted and powdered the cheeks and eyebrows and lips; they knew how to
increase or diminish the stature by means of the heels and soles of the
shoes; and they knew the art of enlarging or diminishing the figure by
means of corsets and padding. Not only did they know all these things,
but also they understood how to display to best advantage any part of
the figure that was beautiful, as, a woman having pretty white teeth
knew how and when to laugh to best display them and the handsome mouth.
=Food.= In the earlier times of Greece, when the food supply was limited
to a narrow territory, there was frugality and little variety. As
commerce increased the food supply became greater and of a varied
character, and yet the Greeks were for the most part frugal and
temperate.
There were usually three meals a day--a light breakfast, a heavier meal
near midday, while the principal meal was toward the close of the day.
When the family ate alone, the father reclined on a couch, the mother
sat on a chair near him, and the children sat about them, the younger
perhaps on the mother's lap or on the couch by the father.
The bread was made from wheat and barley and also from rye, millet,
spelt, and rice. The bread sold by the bread-women in Athens had a big
reputation all over Greece. Among their cakes was one made of wheat and
honey, another of rice, cheese, eggs, and honey, and a third of cheese,
eggs, and garlic. Beef, mutton, goat's flesh, and pork, were the most
common meats. Poultry was abundant and eggs were used in various ways.
There was plenty of wild game, as, the partridge, wild pigeons, wild
geese, deer, hares, and wild boars. Hot sausages were greatly liked and
they were sold on the streets of Athens and perhaps in other cities.
Fish were abundant, both fresh-water and salt, and oysters, eels,
mussels, and turtles were used as food. Among the vegetables were
lettuce, spinach, cabbage, peas, beans, radishes, onions, garlic,
turnips, and asparagus. The food was seasoned with salt, mustard,
garlic, onions, and herbs. Honey was used as sugar with us and olive-oil
and cheese took the place of butter. Of fruits there were figs, apples,
quinces, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, grapes, and of nuts there were
walnuts, almonds, and chestnuts. Wine was in great use and, perhaps,
there was no other beverage but water as milk was not often drunk except
in the country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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