‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎114] (135/508)

J
114
Xhe Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
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ftonc, almoft round and furrow'd with fix circular lines. Being
raw it hath an acid and aftringent 3 but, in my judgment, no
pleafant tafte, but preferv d, becomes good. They fay it is
rcfrigerative and purges Choler.
Having refted many times upon the way, and in alltraveird
two Leagues., we ended this day s journey in the onely confide-
rable and populous Town we had hitherto met 5 whicfi is call'd
Ahinelt. . We lodg'd in the Porches of a Temple of Idols,
which hadi two Porches, one within, the other without, both
low after their manner^ with very large Pent-houfes ftrengthen-
ed with great Pofts 5 the Pavement rais'd high and dunga, but
not lately 3 the walls white, (prinkled in the corners and ends,
with a fort of Rofe-Oyle, ill colour'd 5 for lb w their cuftom
always in their Religious Struftures. The Idol was call'd VirenX
Deuru, the latter of which words (ignifies God, or rather Lord,
being attributed alfo to Men of quality ^ he ftoodatthe upper
end in a dark place with Candles before him 5 of what figure he
was I could not fee well, by reafon of the darknefs, but they told
me 'twas a Man; In the body of the Temple, were many other
wooden Statues of Ids Idols, plac d about in feveral places, as
'twere for ornament 5 fome of which were figures of their Gods,
others not of Gods, but for ornament, of feveral ftiapes. Many
of thefe figures reprefented diftioneft anions. One was of a
Woman, lifting up her cloths before, and (hewing that which
Modefty oblig'd her to cover .* Another was of a Man and a
Woman kifting, the Man holding his Hand on the Womans
Breads : Another had a Man and a Woman naked, with their
Hands at one another's (hameful parts, thofe of the Man being
ofexceffivegreatneft, and fundry fiich reprefentations fit indeed
^for fuch a Temple. But thefe were not figures of Gods, Of
^ Gods there was Brahmh with five Heads, and three Arms on
a fide, fitting aftride a Peacock, which in their Language they
call Wan Brahmk, that is, the Veacock^ of Brahmb 3 another God
wascall'd Naraim, with four Arms on a fide: Another with an
Elephants Head, and two Hands to an Arm, whom they call
Gmesu^ and others that is. Round-mouth tfcx ont
and the fame God hath divers names : Another calFd fuenh^
had the (hape of a Man, holding a naked Sword in his right
Hand, and a Buckler in his left: Another had a Man under hk
t 4 eet, upon whofe Head he trampled ^ and (b, many others of
various forts. I obferv d that all thefe Idols had the fame cover
of the Head, high, with many picks or peaks, all ending in one
long peak, a ftrange and majeftical Diadem not us'd now in
India 5 it might have been of wreath'd Linnen, or Gold, or other
lolid matter 5 wherefore I imagine that it is a very ancient co-
veringp at this day dif-us'd^ unle(s haply it be (bme entlgn
of Divinity, which I rather think, becaufe I remember to have
feen at almoft the fame Diadems upon the Heads of fome
E gyptian Statues, and, if I forget not, they were call'd TutHli,
and