Hide.
A flayed skin of an animal. For specific index see leather. [1101] The ancient Scythians made quiver-covers of the skins of the right arms of their enemies. The nails were left hanging to them. “Now the skin of a man is thick and glossy, and in whiteness surpasses almost all other hides. Some even flay the entire body of the enemy, and, stretching it upon a frame, carry it about with them wherever they ride.” — Herodotus, IV. 64. Cambyses killed and flayed a venal judge, afterwards cutting his skin into strips for a chair-seat, as a reminder for the son, the subsequent occupant of the chair and office. See chair. The skin of the Silenus Marsyas, flayed by Apollo, as the Phrygian story goes, was hanging in the market-place of Celaenae in the time of Herodotus. It was still shown there in Xenophon's time. The sides of hides are the flesh side; and the grain or hair side. Depilation is known as unhairing. Piling is unhairing hanging in a damp heat. Fleshing is paring to a smooth surface by removal of fat and integuments. Swelling is pulling it out by stuffing, etc. Dressing embraces a number of operations in preparing the tanned hide for the use of the shoemaker, saddler, etc. See list under leather. |
| Hide-handling vat. |
