SALUTATION

of persons meeting each other is almost universal, and is accompanied by various acts, especially hand-shaking, ki ing, and embracing. Many Orientals ‘rub noses,’ or at any rate sniff each other. The ki is properly a gesture of tasting; from New Testament times it appears as a salutation among Christians; its use among men has gradually declined, but is still common in France and among monarchs when meeting ceremonially. Orientals bow profoundly or even prostrate themselves before superiors. ‘The modern custom of shaking hands is medieval, but not ancient. Various formulas of greeting are used which tend in time to become meaningle .