It’s
All Greek to Me
By Lady Isolda Fairamay
Submitted to the Tir Mara Arts and
Sciences Championship 2013
Where
the Project Began: It began at the Great Northeastern War 2012
where the weather was so incredibly hot and sticky it inspired me to rip off my
tight fitting long sleeved 14th century outfit and don one of my
husband’s Roman tunics. Marvelling at
the ease of getting into and out of this outfit I decided that “Greco-Roman”
was the way to go for hot summer camping events. I spontaneously visited the merchant’s area
and purchased 2 pieces of linen, one in green and one in blue, for the purpose
of a new “Greco-Roman” outfit for the next summer.
Where
the Project Went:
I came home and checked out books from the library and researched on the
Internet. All this information resulted
in mass confusion. There is an
assortment of different terms used for different pieces of clothing and I
quickly found that these terms tend to be used interchangeably en mass to the
general audience. I was so confused I
put it all away.
Fast
Forward to Market Day at Birka 2013: I attended the “When in Rome: The
Fundamentals of Dress from Republic to Byzantium” workshop held by
Kyria Anna Dekeianina Dyrakousina (Angela Costello). This was the first time I felt like I might
know what to do with my project. I
returned home from this workshop and started work on what you see today. As I
plodded along with the design and construction of the finished product, I
researched with new eyes.
Fabric: Before I go any further I want to discuss the
fabric used. In all of my research I
find that most Greek and Roman clothing was made primarily from wool with linen
being a close second. As for colours,
although white seems to be what our eyes want to see in research, many of the
statues that we gather our information from were originally painted, with
colour being washed away by time. The
fabric I bought for this project is linen.
The colours are green and blue, both of which were available at the
time. In my construction I used linen
thread. Though seams and particularly
hemming may not have been used in that period due to the way fabric was woven
and how garments were constructed, I have finished my pieces with seams and
hems to extend the life of my garments. I used a running stitch for all construction.
Inquiring
Minds Want to Know: Although I realize there are other pieces in
the Greek and Roman woman’s closet, I am concentrating on the 3 pieces that
have eluded me the most. Using the
research I have done I will, to the best of my abilities, attempt to explain
the “Chiton”, the “Peplos” and the “Stola”.
CHITON:
Let
us first speak of the Greek “Chiton”. In
all my Greek research, the best definition of a “chiton” is as follows: Chiton: A thin tunic comprised of a rectangular piece
of fabric sewn together at the short ends OR two pieces of rectangular fabric
stitched together along a side seam from top to bottom…both methods resulting
in a cylinder/tube. The top edge of the
hem is unstitched. The top edges can be
sewn, pinned or buttoned together at two or more points to form shoulder seams
leaving openings for head and arms. A
“Doric” chiton is the sleeveless version pinned/sewn/buttoned at the
shoulder. An “Ionic” (later) chiton is
made of a wide piece of fabric pinned/sewn/buttoned all the way from neck to wrists
and belted at the waist.
Moving
on to the Roman definition, in all my research the best definition of a
“chiton” is exactly the same as a Greek chiton, but seems to be only described
in the “Ionic” style with the fabric pinned/sewn/buttoned from the neck down
the arms to the wrist. It may also
simply be referred to as a “tunica interior”.
Terracotta stamnos (jar)
Greek, Attic, red-figure, ca. 450 BC
Attributed to the Menelaos Painter
Obverse and reverse, maenads making
music
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Photograph taken by Chris Hulme Colin
Notice
the figure on the left appears to be wearing a “Doric” chiton with one
fastening on each shoulder while the figures in the middle and on the right are
wearing what appear to be “Ionic” chitons with multiple fastenings up the
sleeves.
PEPLOS:
Again,
let us first speak of the Greek “Peplos”.
In all my Greek research, the best definition of a “peplos” is as follows: Peplos: A thick tunic or outergarment that is made of
one large rectangular piece of fabric that is then formed into a cylinder and
folded over the top. It is affixed to
the body at the shoulders with fibulae.
It was then belted around the waist.
The folded down top created the appearance of a second piece of
clothing.
Moving on to
the Roman definition, in my research the best definition of a “peplos” is
either non-existent, or a variation of the Greek peplos. One website
description: From http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/clothing2.html
Roman Clothing: Women: “The
peplos was made from two rectangular pieces of cloth partially sewn together on
both sides; the open sections at the top were then folded down in the front and
back. The woman pulled this garment over
her head and fastened it at her shoulders with two large pins, forming a
sleeveless dress; she then tied a belt over or under the folds.” A more logical description of the Roman
“peplos” comes from the workshop I attended at Birka. In the piece “The Peplos: An insight into
the most common women’s garment at Pennsic” by Signor Anna Danuzzano da
Siracus (Angela Costello) a “peplos” is
described as “the draped garment worn by the Ancient Greeks that was later adopted
into Roman and Dark Age cultures. This is often confused with the chiton, which is always a sewn
garment. Peplos’ were not traditionally sewn! The term peplos is also used very generically
at times for any outer garment worn by a woman that was made from either a
folded piece or a tube-shaped piece of cloth.
Most commonly, especially in the SCA where we don’t want to, um, expose
ourselves, we will make the tube-shaped garment with a side seam.”
Grave stele of
a little girl, ca. 450–440 b.c.
Greek, Parian marble: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Greek, Parian marble: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Notice how the side is opened up.
STOLA:
The
“stola” is a piece that appears non-existent in the Ancient Greek woman’s
closet. The “stola” seems to be only
mentioned as an Ancient Roman woman’s piece of clothing. In all my research, the best definition of a
“stola” is as follows: Stola:
A sleeveless dress gathered at the shoulders into a strap or
brooch. The length may be twice the
height of the wearer. It is always worn
over a tunic. It was fastened around the
body by one or more girdles/belts resulting in broad overhanging folds. It could be decorated with a coloured band
at the neck and an “instita” which was a broad flounce with many folds
surrounding the hem. Alternatively there
may be a simple band of colour or patterned border called the “limbus” which
was woven into the fabric itself. It is
a piece of clothing worn only by married women, but being rather unflattering
and unfashionable it was not worn often.
Statue of Livia Drusilla
Between 1 and 25 AD
Marble
National Archaeological
Museum of Spain
Here we see what appears to be a stola
worn over a chiton (with pinned sleeves).
The clues that tell us it is probably a stola rather than a peplos is
the blousy type draping of the copius amounts of fabric.
Let’s
Get Some Perspective: During my
research I came across two important facts that put everything into perspective
for me. Fact Number One: The modern woman is a modest woman. Ancient cultures didn’t mind showing a bit of
skin but we do. With that said, it seems
that modern interpretation of how to construct ancient clothing is mired by our
modesty, making us sew together seams that would normally be left open. I quote from Angela Costello in her Roman
clothing workshop materials: “Most commonly, especially in the SCA where
we don’t want to, um, expose ourselves, we will make the tube-shaped garment
with a side seam.” Fact Number
Two: The Romans stole from the
Greeks. Quoted from the article “Roman Copies of Greek Statues”
from the Department of Greek and Roman Art of the Metropolitan Museum of Art http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rogr/hd_rogr.htm: “Impressed
by the wealth, culture, and beauty of the Greek cities, victorious generals
returned to Rome with booty that included works of art in all media. Soon,
educated and wealthy Romans desired works of art that evoked Greek culture. To
meet this demand, Greek and Roman artists created marble and bronze copies of
the famous Greek statues. Although many Roman
sculptures are purely Roman in their conception, others are carefully measured,
exact copies of Greek statues, or variants of Greek prototypes adapted to the
taste of the Roman patron.”
Fragments of
the Great Eleusinian Relief, 27 b.c.–14 a.d.; Augustan
Fragments of a Roman copy set in a plaster cast of the original Greek marble relief, ca. 450–425 b.c.
Marble: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fragments of a Roman copy set in a plaster cast of the original Greek marble relief, ca. 450–425 b.c.
Marble: Metropolitan Museum of Art
My
Conclusion:
The clothing we see as “Greco-Roman” is, in essence, all Greek in
origin. I believe the actual “Chiton”
and “Peplos” in particular are Greek.
The “Stola” is a Roman piece but it is not so different from any of the
Greek clothing we see. As with most
fashion, there are variations of it all.
In addition, much of the information we find, particularly on the
Internet, tends to use terms interchangeably and therefore creates confusion as
to the true origin of different styles.
Finally, the sewing of certain seams may be a Roman initiation but I do
believe a lot of what we see worn in the SCA is primarily modesty based as well
as function based.
My
Project: The
desired look of my outfit is seen here:
Statue of a young woman and a girl from a grave monument, ca. 320 b.c.
Greek, Attic: Marble Metropolitan Museum of Art
Greek, Attic: Marble Metropolitan Museum of Art
“The young woman at
right wears a full-length peplos over a chiton with buttoned sleeves.
Additionally, she has pinned to her shoulders a short mantle that falls down
her back. This distinctive manner of dress was apparently reserved for young
virgins who had the honor of leading processions to sacrifice, carrying in a
basket such implements as barley, fillets, and the sacrificial knife. Being a kanephoros (basket bearer) was the
highest honor possible for a maiden in the years just preceding marriage. The
original funerary monument would have been a poignant reminder of the young
woman's early death, before she was able to marry and bear children.”
My
outfit consists only of the peplos and the chiton. I have used purchased buttons sewn to the
shoulders of the chiton for its closure.
I have used Roman style brooches (in place of fibulae) purchased from
Raymond’s Quiet Press for the closure of the shoulders on the peplos. The chiton is sewn at the side seams while
the peplos is left open at the side. For
belting I am using belts made by a friend using cotton woven on an inkle loom.
Ultimate
Result:
I am humbled by the amount of research that went into this seemingly
simple project but I will certainly appreciate wearing this ensemble just as
much as some of my later period outfits!
Though my overfold isn’t as large as the
statue here is a front and side view of me wearing the finished pieces with the
belt worn over the folded edge as the woman is wearing it on the statue.
And here is a front and side view of the
outfit belted underneath the overfold.
References:
1. The
Peplos: An insight into the most common
women’s garment at Pennsic by Signor Anna
Danuzzano da Siracus (Angela Costello)
2. Social
Aspects of Dress in the Roman Empire…essay
by Angela Costello
3. Costume
of Ancient Rome by David J. Symons, 1987
4. The
Chiton, Peplos, and Himation in Modern Dress
by Harold
Koda, The Costume Institute, The
Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/44.11.2,.3 and http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/god3/hd_god3.htm
5. CLAS
220: Greek and Roman Costume
compiled by John Porter, University of Saskatchewan http://homepage.usask.ca/~jrp638/CourseNotes/costume.html
6. Roman
Clothing: Women http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/clothing2.html
9. Roman
Costume History Roman Women-Hairstytles
and Dress by Pauline Weston Thomas for Fashion-Era.com http://www.fashion-era.com/ancient_costume/roman-costume-history-women-hair.htm
10. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Stola.html William Smith, D.C.L., LL.D.
Photo
References:
1) Terracotta stamnos (jar)
Greek,
Attic, red-figure, ca. 450 BC
Metropolitan
Museum of Art
Photograph
by Chris Hulme Colin
2) Grave
stele of a little girl, ca. 450–440 b.c.
Greek, Parian marble: Metropolitan
Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/27.45
3) Statue of Livia Drusilla
Between
1 and 25 AD
Marble
National
Archaelogical Museum of Spain
4 ) Fragments of the Great Eleusinian Relief,
27 b.c.–14 a.d.; Augustan
Fragments of a Roman copy set in a plaster cast of the original Greek marble
relief, ca. 450–425 b.c.
Marble: Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/14.130.9
5) Statue of a young woman and a girl from a
grave monument,
ca. 320 b.c.
Greek, Attic
Marble
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