What did Aegean Bronze Age men (and boys) wear? Well..– they went naked (sometimes while carrying fish),– they wore zoma (loincloth)(plural: zomata) (sometimes with codpiece) (greek: ζῶμα Linear B spelling is zo-ma (𐀿𐀲).)– they wore hide skirts (possibly called perizoma)(greek περίζωμα)– they wore short kilts (possibly also perizoma) – they wore shorts (though there is a possibility that the shorts…
Find spot: Akrotiri, island of Thera (Santorini), West houseDate: 17th century BCE (circa 1600–1550 BCE)Clothing depicted: fish, necklaceMuseum link: Museum of Prehistoric Thira, Santorini https://www.namuseum.gr/en/collection/syllogi-archaiotiton-thiras/ Young boys with shaved heads and stray locks showing off stringers of fish Sources Ancient-Greece.org https://ancient-greece.org/art-architecture/akrotiri-frescoes/
Find spot: “House of the High Priest” Southwest Building at the Acropolis of Mycenae, Cult CentreDate: 13th century BCEClothing depicted: heanos, bolero jacket, wrap skirt, bracelets, necklace, head wrap, beltMuseum link: National Archaeological Museum of Athens https://www.namuseum.gr/en/collection/syllogi-mykinaikon-archaiotiton/ What I see:She has two right hands. In “New Reconstruction of the “Mykenaia” and a Seated Woman from Mycenae” the author, Bernice R. Jones, notes,…
Find spot: Sparta, GreeceDate: ca. 1500-1450 BCEClothing depicted: loin cloth, shoes(?)Museum link: a pair of golden cups decorated with scenes in relief, showing two different methods of capturing bulls, perhaps for the bull-leaping activities practised by the Minoan civilization of Crete, or for sacrifice. On one, with three scenes, a cow is used to lure a bull; they mate, and a rear leg is then roped; this is…
Find spot: Akrotiri, island of Thera (Santorini), Xesté 3, wall paintings from Room 3b, Ground FloorDate: 17th century BCE (circa 1600–1550 BCE)Clothing depicted: kilt (maybe), Museum link: Museum of Prehistoric Thera, Santorini https://www.namuseum.gr/en/collection/syllogi-archaiotiton-thiras/ Male figures presumed to be performing a rite of passage ceremony. “The frescoes surrounding the lustral basin of Xestè 3, furthermore, depicting female figures of different ages and hairstyles and a…
Find spot: Crete, Knossos, on the wall of Sanctuary Hall of the Piano Nobile (Upper Floor or “Floor of the Noble”)Date: 1450-1350/1300 BCEClothing depicted: sacral knot, heanos, striped cloth, makeupMuseum link: Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete A fresco which was painted on the wall of Sacntary Hall depicting men and women in a ceremonial banqueting scene.
Find spot: Crete, Knossos, on the Sanctuary Hall of the Piano Nobile (Upper Floor or “Floor of the Noble”)Date: 1450-1350/1300 BCEClothing depicted: sacral knot, heanos, striped cloth, makeupMuseum link: Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete https://heraklionmuseum.gr/en/exhibit/la-parisienne-fresco/ “La Parisienne” is part of the Camp Stool Fresco. Edmond Pottier gave her the name as he felt she resembled a contemporary woman from Paris.
Find spot: Pylos, GreeceDate: ca. 1350 BCEClothing depicted: short-sleeved tunic, boar’s tusk helmet, helmet crest, Museum link: ??? Possibly Archaeological Museum of Chora (in Messenia, Greece) This looks like a watercolor reproduction by Piet de Jong of the fresco from Pylos. Interesting related articles:THE SHIELD OF ACHILLES: Guest Post: A Mycenaean Chariot in the Knossos Armory by Richard Vallance https://theshieldofachilles.net/2017/05/26/guest-post-a-mycenaean-chariot-in-the-knossos-armory/THE SHIELD OF ACHILLES: Guest…
Find spot: Knossos, CreteDate: 1600-1500 BCEClothing depicted: heanos, wrap skirt, hair bands, possible diaphanous chemise, Museum link: Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete https://ca.heraklionmuseum.gr/ca/pawtucket/index.php/Detail/objects/390 Water color by Emile Gilliéron https://harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/291769 Wikimedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tripartite_Shrine_(grandstand_or_sacred_grove_and_shrine),_fresco_from_Knossos
