[Minoans and Myceneans- History] - Around the same time as the Egyptians and Mesopotamians, there was a florishing civilization on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. They were a seafaring people who did trade with many of the other civilizations off the Mediterranean Sea. Through most of the Middle Minoan period (2100-1600 BC) the Minoans controlled both Crete and most of what is now mainland Greece. By about 1400, the mainland people (The Myceneans) were able to take control of both Greece and Crete.

[Minoan Clothing] - Most evidence of costume comes from wall frescos and statuettes. Minoan costume seems to be a bit more tailored than draped. They, too, wore a loincloth (perizoma in greek). Men wore a form of wrapped skirt, that ended in the front with weighted tassel and the front, and sometimes also in the back. They also wore poncho-like capes. Both men and women wore a shawl-like garment made from animal skins or heavy wool in colder weather. Both men and women also wore T-Tunics, with women's being long and men's being short.

Women wore long, bell-shaped skirts. There have been three main types of skirt found, very similar to each other. Some of them had cascading ruffle layers. In some depictions, there is a line down the center of the skirt, which could be an artistic interpretation of V-shaped ruffle layers, or they could have been a type of wide-legged pants similar to modern-day culottes. Depictions of women's bodices show a fitted, laced bodice that fastens beneath the bust, leaving the breasts exposed. Because most depictions of this style were priestesses, it is thought by scholars that most ordinary women covered themselves with a sheer fabric. Most bodices had fitted sleeves, and some examples had small puffs at the shoulder. Many examples show women wearing a rounded 'apron' or 'peplum' over their skirts.

Men and women wore sandals, or shoes with pointed toes that ended at the ankle.

[Ancient Greece- History] - By about 1150, the Myceneans were destroyed and Greece entered a Dark Age in which there was extremely scant written records found. The only real suriviving record of the Dark Ages were from ballads passed down and told by word-of-mouth, most notably The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer. By about 800 B.C., the Greek people began to prosper again and entered the Archaic period. Village communities began to evolve into independant city-states and would serve to be the first type of democratic government. By 500 B.C., the Classical Age began, which is the Ancient Greece that most people think of. This is the age of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. For the first time, scultures became incredibly accurate. Greek influence was spread through the conquests of Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) After his death, the Greek empire began to fall apart as the Roman culture started to expand.

[Ancient Greece- Clothing] - One article of clothing, or perhaps the main article was a tunic, called a chiton. It seems that instead of the chiton being sewn, it is a rectangle of fabric that is wrapped around the body and pinned at the shoulders. This would often be belted in various ways and manipulating the folds of the fabric and pin placement varied the look of the garment. Over this could be placed shawls or cloaks.

Costume Terms:

Chiton: - Another name for Tunics by the Greeks.

Himation (hi-mat'-e-ahn): - A large rectangle of fabric wrapped around the body.

Perizoma (per-i-zo'ma): - Loincloth which covered much of the same area as modern athletic briefs. They were worn by men, and women athletes.

[GREEK ART & SCULPTURES]