Find spot: Crete, Knossos, corridor leading from the West Entrance of the palace to the upper story of the West Wing via the South PropylaeumDate: ca. 1450-1400 BCEClothing depicted: kilt, anklet, armbandMuseum link: Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete https://ca.heraklionmuseum.gr/ca/pawtucket/index.php/Detail/objects/393 “Part of the Procession Fresco which adorned the walls of the corridor leading from the West Entrance of the palace to the upper storey of…
Find spot: Crete, Knossos, near Royal Magazines. Found before 1914Date: ca. 1525-1450 BCEClothing depicted: short-sleeved bodice (probably heanos), possible diaphanous chemise, bracelets, necklacesMuseum link: Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete “This group of three women was originally restored by E. Gillieron, pere on the basis of other fragments of frescos from Knossos, mostly of a much smaller scale. It has been shown that details of…
Find spot: Akrotiri, island of Thira (Santorini), North wall of the House of the LadiesDate: 17th c. BCEClothing depicted: heanos, wrap skirt, earrings, Museum link: Museum of Prehistoric Thera, Santorini Lady A is a mature woman facing left. Her heanos is yellow/orange (possibly saffron?) with red and yellow trim/bands along the shoulder, around the elbow. There is a slightly different red trim down the…
Find spot: Akrotiri, island of Thera (Santorini), North wallDate: 17th c. BCEClothing depicted: heanos, wrap skirt, assorted jewelryMuseum link: Museum of Prehistoric Thera, Santorini Lady B is mature woman who appears to be helping another woman(girl?) to get dressed (holding wrap skirt in her right hand, left hand held out to almost touch the girl who wears a gold heanos with blue trim). Her…
Find spot: Greece (exact location unknown)Date: 1600-1500 BCEClothing depicted: heanos, flounce skirt, assorted jewelry, Museum link: The Cleveland Museum of Art inv. 2002.89 https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2002.89 (NOTE: BEAUTIFUL zoom available at the museum link) This extremely rare Minoan bronze statuette represents a girl worshiping a deity. It was probably left as a dedication to a divinity. She wears a flounced skirt over a sleeved robe open…
Ivory plaque with a seated woman in relief Find spot: Citadel of Mycenae, Argolis, near the modern village of Mykines.Date: 15th-14th c. BCClothing depicted: heanos, wrap skirt, assorted jewelry, estheta (shawl)Museum link: https://www.namuseum.gr/en/ monthly_artefact/the-lady-of-the-rocks/ National Archaeological Museum in Athens Collection of Prehistoric Antiquities, inv. no. Π 5897 From the museum link:“The goddess is dressed in the typical Aegean costume with the tight short-sleeved vest that…
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.…
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,…
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…
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…