Himation
A himation was an Ancient Greek rectangular cloak worn over the chiton or sometimes directly on the body. It had no sleeves or fasteners: the cloth was held by draping, arm position and the weight of the folds.
In brief:
- the himation was outer clothing, while the chiton was the main garment beneath it;
- it was worn by men and women;
- its appearance depended on draping rather than complex tailoring;
- in art, the himation often helps identify social setting, pose and ideals of behaviour.
Himation and chiton: difference
The chiton was a garment worn on the body and belted. The himation was an outer cloak: it was thrown over the chiton, wrapped around the body or draped over the shoulder. In reconstruction, the two garments should not be treated as substitutes.
Statue of the Muse in the Himatia. Roman copy of the Greek original. Archaeological Museum,Istanbul. 2nd century AD
Sophocles in the Himatia. Roman copy of a Greek statue. 5th century BC
Statue of Alexander the Great in Himatia. Archaeological Museum,Istanbul. 2nd century BCAccording to the Greek fashion,the himatium was supposed to go down below the knees,but not reach the ankles. It was not fastened with anything,and to prevent it from slipping off when moving,small lead weights could be sewn into the edge of the himatum. A man who gesticulated too violently during a performance was derisively described as " girding up his himatium." The ancient Greek himation corresponds to the Roman palla for women,and the toga for men,these clothes appeared in the ancient Roman state along with the imitation of the fashion of Ancient Greece.
The scheme of wearing himatiya in women
Himatiya patternRelated topics
Literature
- Bieber M. Entwicklungsgeschichte der griechischen Tracht. Berlin,1967 - Pekridou-Gorecki A. Mode im antiken Griechenland: Textile Fertigung und Kleidung. Munich,1989 - Women’s Dress in the Ancient Greek World / Ed. by L. Llewellyn-Jones. London,2002 - The Clothed Body in the Ancient World / Ed. by L. Cleland,et al. Oxford,2005 - Lee M. M. Body,Dress,and Identity in Ancient Gress. Cambridge,2015 (with an indication of the latest literature)
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