History of Fashion: Egyptians, Greeks, Romans

Question 1

What is Egypt’s most common fabric?

Answer 1

Linen

Question 2

What are the purposes of linen?

Answer 2

To keep the wearer cool and covered

Question 3

What is linen made out of?

Answer 3

Linen is made out of the flax plant, through the spinning of its fibers

Question 4

shenti or shendyt

Answer 4

A kilt-like, wrap-around skirt worn by Egyptian men, worn to provide freedom of movement.

Question 5

What is the khat or nemes?

Answer 5

A striped head cloth worn by men

Question 6

Hedjet

Answer 6

The White Crown of Upper Egypt

Question 7

Deshret

Answer 7

The Red Crown of Lower Egypt

Question 8

Pschent

Answer 8

The hedjet and the desret together, the unified Crown of Egypt.

Question 9

Khepresh

Answer 9

The war crown, which was cloth or leather stained blue and covered in yellow sun discs. It was used for ceremonial purposes.

Question 10

Kalasiris

Answer 10

A long linen dress, sewn at the side and was a close fitting tube dress.

Question 11

Chiton (Etruscan)

Answer 11

A light pleated gown

Question 12

What were the three fabrics of the wealthy Etruscans?

Answer 12

Fine wool, cotton, and linen

Question 13

Himation (Etruscan)

Answer 13

A shawl

Question 14

Lacerna

Answer 14

A short woolen cloak

Question 15

Tebenna

Answer 15

A long cloak that was draped over the left shoulder and then wrapped around the torso under the right arm.

Question 16

Granulation

Answer 16

Soldering (fusing) tiny grains of gold on a smooth background to create a glittering effect.

Question 17

Palla

Answer 17

A large oblong shawl, usually woolen, and was worn by women

Question 18

Tunic

Answer 18

Standard dress for all men from slaves to the nobles

Question 19

Bulla

Answer 19

An amulet that wealthy Roman children wore as a sign of adolescence. They only took it off when a boy reached his manhood or a girl got married.

Question 20

Calcei

Answer 20

Standard outdoor footwear for a Roman and was paired with the toga.

Question 21

Sandals (sandalia)

Answer 21

Indoor footwear, slippers for the house not to be worn outside

Question 22

Togatus means? As opposed to sagum-wearers?

Answer 22

Togatus means Toga-wearer, while Sagum-wearers were soldiers. Togatus brought peace.

Question 23

Toga virilis (toga alba or toga pura)

Answer 23

A plain white toga worn on formal occasions by most Roman men of legal age; the first wearing of this particular toga was part of the celebrations on reaching maturity.

Question 24

Toga candida

Answer 24

“Bright toga”; this was a toga bleached by chalk to a dazzling white, and was worn by candidates for public office.

Question 25

Toga praetexta

Answer 25

An ordinary white toga with a broad purple stripe on its border.

Question 26

Toga pulla

Answer 26

“Dark toga” and was worn mainly by mourners, but could also be worn in times of private danger or public anxiety.

Question 27

Toga picta

Answer 27

This toga was dyed a solid purple, embroidered with gold. It was worn by generals in their triumphs, magistrates giving public gladiatorial games, and by consuls, as well as the emperor on special occasions.

Question 28

Toga trabea

Answer 28

There are three different kinds of toga trabea: one of purple only, for the gods; the second of purple and a little white, for the kings; and the third with scarlet stripes and a purple hem, for augurs and Salii.

Question 29

What are the four types of Greek drapery and what did they all have in common?

Answer 29

The chiton (dress): Doric and Ionic, the himation, and the chlamys. They were all rectangular pieces of cloth.

Question 30

Peplos/ Chiton (Greek)

Answer 30

The inner tunic of Greek dress. The peplos was worn by women, usually a heavier woolen garment held with shoulder clasps. The chiton was worn by all genders and ages, a simple tunic of lighter linen; for men, the length fell to the knees; for women, it fell to their ankles.

Question 31

Kolpos

Answer 31

A term meaning “blouse”. The peplos or chiton could be pulled up under the belt to blouse the fabric.

Question 32

Apoptygma

Answer 32

Referring to the fabric being folded over and hanging down across the top of the Doric chiton.

Question 33

Ionic Chiton

Answer 33

It was of Phoenician origin, and most often seen as a female garment. It was made of thin woolens (crepe-like), and also of linen. It was cut from two pieces, often sewn or caught together down the right side with the left side open.

Question 34

Strophion

Answer 34

An undergarment sometimes worn by women around the mid-portion of the body. A sort of corset.

Question 35

Epiblema

Answer 35

A shawl draped over the tunic (Greek)

Question 36

Chlamys

Answer 36

A seamless rectangle of woolen material worn by men as a cloak. It was usually bordered, and pinned at the right shoulder or front. It was typical Greek military attire from the 5th to 3rd century BC, and was used as a light shield in combat.

Question 37

Himation

Answer 37

A rectangle of wool with weighted corners, slung over the left shoulder leaving the right arm free; worn by married women with the corn over their head like a shawl; Dorian older men wore it as their only garment. It was worn over the peplos or chlamys, being the basic outer garment for winter. It was either naturally white or brown, or dyed scarlet or purple.

Question 38

Doric Chiton

Answer 38

One rectangle piece of wool, dyed indigo or saffron, it was angular and folded over (apoptygma).