User:ADhist312/Himation

Origins

While there are no physical remains of himation that have been recovered, it is known that himation was worn by ancient Greeks as early as the sixth century b.c.e.

Through different decorations, pottery, and statues, it is known that himation was typically made out of wool and linen, usually in the color white. Because of the price of the material, linen was typically reserved for the upper class of Greek society. It is thought that himation was dyed or sewn with eye catching colors, while also having very complex patterns. These patterns would sometimes be woven into the thick wool or linen, or otherwise painted directly onto the himation. The production of himation was considered a woman's job, as they would spin the wool or linen into a large piece of rectangular fabric. While a majority of the time women made himation in their homes, there were also professional weavers and dyers.

Himation was perhaps the most popular garment worn in ancient Greece, with many different styles of wearing. It also "served as an important means of nonverbal communication. A properly arranged himation conveyed elite status, while garments in disarray created opportunities for bodily display in homosexual and heterosexual courtship".

The himation became so popular, that historians use the word to refer to a number of different Greek garments. Due to the popularity of himation, the ancient Romans also adopted the style, making himation apart of their society as well.

(Going to be added to wearing styles section of current Wiki article)

The Terracotta Amphora from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, showing a judge in himation

Ancient Greek gods are often described as wearing himation in various situations. For example, Athena has been described as wearing an attic helmet, a peplos, an aegis with a small gorgoneion, and a himation. Another god that has be described as wearing a himation was Dionysos. In an explanation of a piece of artwork at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Dionysos is described as wearing "a himation and ivy wreath and carries Kantharos in uplifted left hand."

Not only did the everyday people of ancient Greek society wear himation, but the most divine figures throughout ancient Greece's history wore himation as well, showing just how popular of a garment it was.

Men, Women, and Children in Himation

Women wearing himation did not come into fashion until around 500 B.C.E., with the end of the Archaic Period, when it became more frequently worn by women. Women commonly wore himation in public "as warm cloaks over their thin Ionic chitons". Himation was also often used to show off women's personal styles and their statuses in ancient Greek society. In the presence of strangers, himation doubled as a veil. Women were more relaxed with the configuration of their himation.

The other side of the Terracotta Amphora from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, showing a young man singing and playing the kithara

Men would sometimes wear himation in professional settings. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, an ancient greek piece of pottery, called the Terracotta Amphora, shows shows a Greek judge wearing himation. On the other side of the Terracotta Amphora, it shows a far less professional setting of a man wearing himation. In this image a young man is playing the kithara and singing. There were some unwritten rules men had when it came to wearing himation. One of which was the length that himation; if it went past the ankles and dragged, it was considered in poor taste. Also, if the left shoulder was exposed when wearing himation, the man was seen as barbaric.

Children also wore himation. "Notably the himation was sometimes worn by aristocratic Roman school boys, who were sent to schools taught by Greek tutors."