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PLATE XVII.
A VOTIAKIAN WOMAN.
THE Votiatki inhabit the governments of Kazan and Viatka, together
with some neighbouring districts. Their population is considerable,
and their chief employment is agriculture. They are in general honest,
hospitable, and peaceable ; but very superstitious. In their manners
they approach nearer to the Finns than any other nation, who derive
their origin from the last; yet their language is peculiar to themselves.
They are ignorant of the use of writing; and, instead of their signatures,
they make use of certain marks. They do not compute by years, but
months; which they name after some natural event. They live entirely
to themseh es, and suffer no other people to intermix, or live, wi th them.
The women are of a timid and modest character, yet diligent and
laborious. They employ themselves in spinning, making linen and
cloth: they both make and embroider their own clothes. Their dress
is very singular and striking:—they wear a shift, worked round the
border and down the sleeves, and which they so fasten by a girdle,
that a part of it is drawn together before and behind. In v\ inter they
wear a large robe over it, with open sleeves, very much worked and
embroidered, and of a bright colour. Their head-dress, which they
called nilserga kisci, is formed of linen, folded into a certain shape,
much ornamented, and fringed all round. They support it at some
heiglit from the head by means of an elastic substance; and the
ends fall down upon their shoulders. Besides all this, which has a
very singukn- appearance, they wear ear-rings and bracelets, made of
yellow copper, or brass, and even iron. This nation always purchase
their wives; and although such as are still Heathens may have as many
•as they M'ill, yet they generally confine themselves to one.
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