Minoan/Mycenaean

Ivory Figurine – Ivory Triad

Find spot: Mycenae; north slope of the Acropolis, close to the megaronDate: 15th-14th c. BCClothing depicted: heanos, wrap skirt, assorted jewelry, estheta (shawl)Museum link: National Archaeological MuseumCollection of Prehistoric Antiquities, inv. no. Π7711 https://www.namuseum.gr/en/monthly_artefact/terms-of-endearment/ Ivory figurine representing two seated, bare-breasted female deities and a child leaning on their knees, the so called “ivory triad”. One cloak covers both women. A masterpiece of mycenaean art. From…

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Minoan/Mycenaean

Fresco – Mycenaean Procession of Female Worshippers

Find spot: Thebes, Greece, Kadmeia, Palace of ThebesDate: LH III A period, 1400-1300 BCClothing depicted: heanos, wrap skirt, assorted jewelry, fillet, hat (?)Museum link: Archaeological Museum of Thebes https://www.mthv.gr/en/permanent-exhibition/mycenaean-period/ “The Theban fresco was originally 14 meters long, consisting of three zones: 1. a decorative band in the upper part, 2. the main composition, known as the Procession of Female Worshipers, in the middle,…

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Minoan/Mycenaean

Fresco – Dancing Lady

Find spot: Crete, Knossos, palace, Queen’s MegaronDate: 1450-1375 BCEClothing depicted: short-sleeved bodice (probably heanos), a diaphanous chemise, sacred knot, probably wrap skirtMuseum link: https://ca.heraklionmuseum.gr/ca/pawtucket/index.php/Detail/objects/394 Museum quote: The fresco was found fallen on the south side of the east lightwell of the Queen’s Megaron. The reconstruction of the fresco on a pillar of the Megaron is Evans’ hypothesis. He identified the…

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Minoan/Mycenaean

“Boobies teeheehee”

Okay. So I’m not quite done reading Ariadne’s Threads (the book about the evolution of Minoan** clothing 2700 – 1500 BCE) but I have gotten far enough in it to feel confident that my initial theory about Minoan’s women’s garments (theory nicknamed “Boobies teeheehee”) was wrong. Sir Arthur Evans, a British archaeologist (1851–1941), is credited with discovering the frescoes on…

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Knitting

Display: Sylvie’s Medieval Knitting

A Ymir 2026 I setup a display of my progress in knitting. I (of course) neglected to get any pictures of the display. The display image is from KASF 2026. I included the following items: Scholar’s hat Display document about Scholar’s Hat.In 2018 my mother taught me to knit. We both knit a scholar’s hat using Wicked Woolens/Sally Pointer’s pattern…

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Stitches & Seams

Stitches

Tent Stitch Tent stitch was a popular and easy to work embroidery stitch used extensively for creating richly decorated furnishings during the Elizabethan period in England. There were two main techniques for using tent stitch: This stitch can be worked in several directions. It creates a strong, hardwearing surface, both on the front of the work and on the back.…

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Waisted Kirtle

The Blood Red Linen Kirtle that wasn’t

Blood (Beet) Red linen waisted kirtle started 4/12/2022. Never going to be finished. Mama needs a new kirtle. It turns out stressing and sheltering in place for two years ran riot with my diet. So now all my old clothes don’t fit (except for my really really old clothes.. which I don’t want to wear).. so new clothes it is.…

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Image Review

“Marketenderin un Troßbube” ca 1534-1562

Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, VSolis AB 3.123Marketenderin und Troßbube (Sutler and horseman) 1534-1562 Zoomable Image: http://kk.haum-bs.de/?id=v-solis-ab3-0123 What I see:The German word “marketender” translates to sutler and the -in suffix denotes a female. A sutler is a person who follows an army and sells provisions to the soldiers. “Tross” means baggage train and bube translates as either boy or jack. I…

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16th Century

Simple Hemd (shirt)

White linen hemd for Erik started 2/7/2024. Finished 2/24/2024. Details: – white linen hemd(shirt) – slightly-longer-than-hip length – narrowed at shoulders to bring seam to just below point of shoulder – open neckline (no collar) big enough to pull over head – slits on the side, (possibly center back and center front). – slightly tapered sleeves with small gussets –…

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Image Review

“The Woodcutter” ca 1530-1562

British Museum, 1874,0711.1888“Series: Twelve soldiers of different ranks”, Print made by: Virgil Solisca. 1530-1562 Museum link: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1874-0711-1888 A soldier with an axe; over his right shoulder; whole-length figure seen from behind, the head in profile to right; at left a tent; from a series of twelve engravings of lansquenets. What I see:Woodcutter’s axWoodcutter’s hat (see Truly Carmichael’s howto and Amazon…

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