TURMERIC:** A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the monandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the eighth order, *Scitamineae*. It has four barren flowers, with a fifth fertile. The species are,

1. The rotunda, with a round root, hath a fleshy-jointed root like that of ginger, but round; which ends up several spear-shaped oval leaves, which rise upwards of a foot high, and of a sea-green colour. From between these arises the flower-stalk, supporting a loose spike of flowers of a pale-yellowish colour, inclosed in several different spathe, or sheaths, which drop off. The flowers are never succeeded by seeds in this country.

2. The longa, hath long fleshy roots of a deep yellow colour, which spread under the surface of the ground like those of ginger; they are about the thickness of a man's finger, having many round knotty circles, from which arise four or five large spear-shaped leaves, standing upon long footstalks. The flowers grow in loose feathery spikes on the top of the footstalks, which arise from the larger knobs of the roots, and grow about a foot high; they are of a yellowish-red colour, and shaped somewhat like those of the Indian reed.

These plants grow naturally in India, from whence the roots are brought to Europe for use. They are very tender; so will not live in this country unless kept constantly in a stove. They are propagated by parting the roots. The root communicates a beautiful but perishable yellow dye, with alum, to woollen, cotton, or linen. In medicine it is esteemed aperient, and emmenagogic; and of singular efficacy in the jaundice.

**CURDISTAN,** a country of Asia, seated between the Turkish empire and Persia, lying along the eastern coast of the river Tigris, and comprehends great part of the ancient Assyria. Some of the inhabitants live in towns and villages, and others rove from place to place, having tents like the wild Arabs, and are also robbers like them. Their religion is partly Christian, and partly Mahometanism; but they are very loath in regard to either.

**CURDLING,** the coagulating or fixing of any fluid body; particularly milk. See the article Cheese.

Pausanias says, that Arithæus son of Apollo, and Cyrene daughter of the river Peneus, were the first who found the secret of curdling milk.

At Florence they curdle their milk for the making of cheese with artichoke flowers; in lieu of the rennet used for the same purpose among us.

The Bifaltes, a people of Macedonia, Rochfort observes, live wholly upon curdled milk, i.e., on curds. He adds, that curds are the whole food of the people of Upper Auvergne in France, and whey their only drink.

**CURETES,** in antiquity, a sort of priests or people of the isle of Crete, called also Corybantes. See Corybantes and Crete. The Curetes are said to have been originally of mount Ida in Phrygia; for which reason they were also called *Idæi Dactylī*. See Dactyls.

Lucian and Diodorus Siculus represent them as very expert in calling of darts; though other authors give them no weapons but bucklers and pikes: but all agree in furnishing them with tabors and cattauetts; and relate, that they used to dance much to the noise and clashing thereof. By this noise, it is said, they prevented Saturn from hearing the cries of young Jupiter, whereby he was saved from being destroyed.

Some authors, however, give a different account of the Curetes. According to Pezron and others, the Curetes were, in the times of Saturn, &c. and in the countries of Crete and Phrygia, what the druids were afterwards among the Gauls, &c. i.e., they were priests who had the care of what related to religion and the worship of the gods. Hence, as in those days it was supposed there was no communication with the gods but by divinations, auguries, and the operations of magic; the Curetes palled for magicians and enchanters; to these they added the study of the stars, of nature, and poetry; and so were philosophers, astronomers, &c.

Vossius, *de Idolat.*, distinguishes three kinds of Curetes; those of Ætolia, those of Phrygia, and those of Crete who were originally derived from the Phrygians. The first, he says, took their name from *τούρνι*, in regard, from the time of a combat wherein the enemy leaped their long hair, they always kept it cut. Those of Phrygia and Crete, he supposes, were so called from *κυρί*, young man; in regard they were young, or because they nursed Jupiter when he was young.