Sackcloth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sackcloth (Hebrew: שַׂק śaq) is a coarsely woven fabric, usually made of goat's hair. The term in English often connotes the biblical usage, where the Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible remarks that haircloth would be a more appropriate rendering of the Hebrew meaning.[1]
In some Christian traditions (notably Catholicism), the wearing of hairshirts continues as a self-imposed means of mortifying the flesh that is often practiced during the Christian penitential season of Lent, especially on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and other Fridays of the Lenten season.[2][3]
Hessian sackcloth or burlap is not the intended biblical meaning, according to a number of scholarly sources: but the identification represents a common misconception based on phonetic association. "Sackcloth, usually made of black goat hair, was used by the Israelites and their neighbors in times of mourning or social protest."[4] Burlap, another term used in English translation, is also generally understood as goat haircloth.[5] Stiff camel hair was also used.[6]
