Week 2

Part I--The Ancient World

Mesopotamia and Egypt

Crete and Greece
Etruria/Rome

Mesopotamia and Egypt

 Both civilizations existed from 3000BCE

• Differences in cultures and costumes are related to:
• Geography
• Religion
• Technology
• Society

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Mesopotamia

FOCUS
• Began around 3000 BCE
• Crossroads of Tigris & Euphrates rivers
• “Fertile Crescent”
• Contemporary Iraq and Iran
• Geography
• No real natural boundaries
• Crossroads on trade routes
• Cross-cultural influences on costume
• Religion
• No dominant religion
• Symbolism in dress was less important than Egypt
• The most important contributions to costume were: First introduced by Persians
• Bifurcated trousers
• Closed shoes
• With pointed toes
• Symbols are strong and animalistic
• Technology
• Wool is primary fiber
• Used as fleece or felt
• Wrapped and draped
• Neutral, earthy, natural colors
• Society
• Warring groups
• Few artifacts
• Women did not have much status
• few images of women

Mesopotamian Cultures
• Sumerians
• Babylonians
• Assyrians
• Persians

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Sumerian 3500-2500 BCE

FOCUS FOCUS
 Shepherds, commerce & trade
• Skilled with metal & wool fibers
• Appear primitive; Usually barefoot
• Big eyes on images
Sumerian Garments
Kaunakes
• Wrapped skirt
• Bushy, tufted, felted, fringed
• Shawl
Elaborate headdresses and hats
• Polos- sort of top hat like
• Ur, 2550 – 2400 BCE Queen Puabi’s headdress
Dots
• Sumerian circular-shaped ornamentation
• Evolve into rosettes

Babylonian 2500-1000 BCE

FOCUS
• Civilizing culture
• Become better merchants
• Raising sheep and trade
• More woven geometric patterns and fringe
Headwear
• Hats and hairstyles
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Babylonian- MenStrong appearance
• Have bushy square beards
Babylonian- MenTunics and fringed shawls
• Tubular, wrapped garment (like skirt)
• Sandals worn
• Military and wealthy wore closed toe shoes
Babylon- WomenVery few images

• Curled hair
• Spiral wrapped garments

Assyrians 1000-600 BCE

FOCUS
 Warlike conquerors
• Wrapped garments with fringed geometric patterns
• Rosette is primary motif
• Signifies fertility, sovereignty, and power
• Flower of tree of life
Assyrian- MenMilitary
• chain mail, tunics, helmets
• boots, sandals,
• Hats
• Mitre NOT IN NOTES BUT PICTURES IN SLIDES
• Tiara NOT IN NOTES BUT PICTURES IN SLIDES
Assyrian- Women Fringed, wrapped garment
• Heavy jewelry
• Lapis and gold
• Choker necklace
• Chignon
• Hairstyle- low on back of neck

Persians 600-330 BCE

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 FOCUS
 Unify Middle East
• Sophisticated weaving
• Rosette motif woven in
Persia- MenPointy beards and full hair
• Soft felted or leather shoes
Cut and Sewn Garments
• Tunics
• Bifurcated garment—trousers
• 2 separate legs
• Worn under tunics
• Skill increases over time
• results in better fit and set in sleeves
Robe of honor
• Looser fitting gown that signifies rank
Persia- WomenTunics and wrapped garments

Hebrews
Phrygian bonnet
• Phrygian bonnet
• a/k/a “Cap of Liberty”
• Shaped like a stocking cap
• Soft fabric or leather
• Associated with Freedom
• Part of outfit
• given to freed slaves
• Seen throughout history
• French Revolution—1780s

• Dress influenced by Egyptians during captivity--Escaped bondage in Egypt (Moses)

• The Old Testament is a source of costume information
• Kept themselves separate
• Cultural and religious differences led them to wear dissimilar clothing
• Wore large, flowing garments --Called Candys (kandis) or Kaftan in different colors
• Shawl becomes sacred--Tassels

Egypt
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 FOCUS
 Currently Egypt and Sudan
• Stable society
• Due to Geography, Government & Religion
• Influences all aspects of life
Geography
• Established boundaries
• Water (Nile) on one side, desert on the other
• Isolated civilization
• Dry and hot climate
• Flax abundant
• Plants from Nile were important symbols
• Lotus—Upper Egypt
• Papyrus—Lower Egypt

Egypt—Land of Linen
• Flax (fiber), Linen (fabric)
• Woven on ground loom
• Durable
• Extant linen found
• White and translucent

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 Queen Nefretiti

Religion
• Theocratic Government
• Religion and law intertwined
• Pharoh, god of nation and religion
• Religion dictated clothing
• Dress and symbolism hardly changed in Egypt over 3000 years
Religious Symbolism
• very important
• Pharaoh has more power because of religion
Symbols of Pharaoh

FLAIL AND CROOK

 Cobra/Asp, Vulture, Flail and crook
Vulture headress
 Exclusively worn by Queen
 Wife of Pharaoh
Religious Symbolism
Scarab is symbol of life and afterlife
• Dung beetle
Technology

• Skilled weavers & fine linen cloth

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 • 200 thread count (yarns per inch)
• Wool worn by the poor and for home furnishings
• Egyptians felt they were superior to nature
• Wool was from an animal
• Used starch to make clothing with sophisticated pleating
Pleated with movement, not tight
“Herringbone” pleating
• Dyes were not colorfast, linen is difficult to dye
• Color was used for smaller accessories and trims
• Jewelry important—beaded/jeweled collars
• Gold Jewelry is developed over time

Crowns
• Elaborate headwear
Pschent- Crown of the Middle Kingdom 2160-
1788 BCE
 Symbolic representation of unification of
upper and lower Egypt

Egyptians practiced knitting—socks with separate toe

Society
• Climate is hot and dry
• clothing not necessary
• Pharaoh wore lots of clothes, slaves wore none
• As society becomes more sophisticated, clothing becomes more elaborate
• Beading is added
• “bead overlay”

Hair
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 FOCUS
• Both men and women shaved heads—wore wigs
• Permed with chemicals
• Why?
• Hot climate
• Interest in cleanliness
• Superior to nature
Egyptian wigs
• Palm leaves, human hair
• Dyed dark
• Fat and wax cones
• Perfumed oils melted and gave off scent
Lock of Youth/ Horace lock/ Love lock
• Longer braided piece of hair hangs at or behind ear
• Resurfaces through history
• 17th & 18th c.
• 1980s

Cosmetics
• Tints on lips and fingernails
• Eye makeup
• Kohl
• Henna
Footwear
• Sandals
• Slightly pointed at toe
• Worn outdoors

Egypt- Men’s clothing

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SHENTI TUNIC/ KIMONO ROYAL APRON
Shenti/shendot
• Men’s basic garment
• Triangular piece
• Calls attention--Perpetuation of race
Tunic
• T-shaped garment
• Short or long
Kimono-type garment
• Added to men’s and women’s dress
• Large piece of fabric with hole for head
• Could be tied and wrapped with belt or “girdle”
Belt or girdle
• More decorated as time progresses

Garments ONLY worn by Pharaoh -- Symbols of rank

POSTICHE
• Royal Apron
• Decorative front of shenti
• Lion’s tail
• Hangs from waistline to ankles
Postiche
• False beards
• cylindrical piece--Hung over ear --Like eyeglasses
Klaft
• Kerchief
• Sometimes striped

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Egypt- Women’s silhouette

KIMONO LIKE
• Straight, simple dress
• Hung from breast to ankles
• Supported by strap over one shoulder
• Very narrow; became fuller over time
• Kimono-like garment added
Egypt- Women’s clothing
Kalasiris
• Women’s basic garment
• Pleated
• V-neck
• Breasts exposed
Kimono-type garment
Collars

This a Robe of Honor

This is a Mitre
This is a Phygian Bonnet
This is a Kimono type garment
This is a Klaft

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