t have believed that it was made of flax, from the
description he gives of its appearance and qualities, which in no way
apply to cotton or hemp. He says that "The Jewish high priests wore a
linen garment of the purest byssus--which was a symbol of firmness,
incorruption, and of the clearest splendour, for fine linen is very
difficult to tear. It is made of nothing mortal, and becomes brighter
and more resembling light, the more it is cleansed by washing."[174]

Here is another quotation: "Cloth of byssus symbolizes firm faith. Its
threads surpass even ropes of broom in firmness and strength."[175]
Pliny says the flax grown in Egypt was superior to any other, and it
was exported to Arabia and India.[176] The first known existing
fragment of flax linen in Europe was taken from the tomb of the Seven
Brothers in the Crimea. Its date is 300 B.C.

In Solomon's time the Jews evidently depended upon Egypt for their
fine linen. Herodotus describes the corselet of Amasis, the fineness
of the linen, and the embroidered decorations of men and animals,
partly gold and partly tree wool (i.e. cotton).[177]

All the finest linen certainly came then from Egypt, and was much
finer than any that is now made. That we call cambric, was woven there
many centuries before it was made in Cambray.[178]

Through the Phoenicians the fine linen came to Rome, as appears
from the following notice of embroidery on linen by Flavius Vopiscus,
in his "Life of the Emperor Carinus:" "Why should I mention the linen
cloths brought from Tyre and Sidon, which are so thin as to be
transparent, which glow with purple, or are prized on account of their
laborious embroideries?"[179]

The history of a fine embroidered linen curtain for a Roman house
might have been this:--Grown in Egypt; carried to Nomenticum (Artois),
and there woven; taken to India to be embroidered, and thence as
merchandise to Rome.

While flax was making its way northward, the Celts must also have
taken it across Europe from their resting-place, after emigrating from
the East. The word _linen_--_lin-white_--is a Celtic epithet, whereas
_flax_ is an Anglo-Saxon word.[180]

The Atrebates wove linen in Artois, 1800 years ago. Jerome speaks of
their "indumenta," or shirts of fine linen; and the great weavers of
to-day are still the Flemish descendants of the Atrebates. Their
Celtic descent is witnessed in the Irish by their superiority in the
crafts of the loom.

The fine laces of Venic