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Camelaucium (Camelaucumn, Camelaucus, or Camalaucum)

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Camelaucium (Camelaucumn, Camelaucus, Or Camalaucum)

was a covering for the head, used chiefly in the East. It appears to halve been a round. cap with ear-flaps of fur, originally camel's hair, if the ordinary etymology is to be accepted, or wool, and sometimes adorned with gems. The form and name being preserved, it sometimes became a helmet, and was worn in battle. We find it adopted by royal personages, and Ferrario (Costumni, Europa, vol. iii, pt. i, pl. 30) and Constantine Porphyr. (De Adam. Imp. c. 13) describe by the same name the sacred caps, preserved at the high-altar of St. Sophia's, traditionally believed to. have been .sent by an angel's hands to Constantine the Great, and used in the coronation of the emperors of the East. (See CROWN).

Its ecclesiastical use in the East seems to have been chiefly confined to the monastic orders. Goar (Eucholog. p. 156) tells us that the mitre of the metropolitan Of Conistantinople had this name only when he was taken from the monastic ranks. It is defined by. Allatius (De utriusque Eccl . Conseas. lib. iii, c. viii, no. 12, apud Ducange) as a round woollen cap worn by monks. It was worn by Armenian bishops when officiating at the altar. (See MITRE).