FCS 490R Fashion History. Terms and Definitions. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: 

Chapter 2 The Ancient World 

 

1. Allison Boyes: Priest Animal Skins Imiut 

- in the book it says "Wearing animal skins was reserved for the most powerful element in society: kings and priests." Sometimes cloth would be painted to look like animal skin, the book doesn't explain why. The Egyptians believed that by wearing the skin of a fierce beast the powers of the animal were magically transferred to the wearer. (pg. 37) The Imiut - religious animal skin coverings However, on page 35 where it says Egyptian costume as described by herodotus it says, "that priests dress were entirely of linen and their shoes of the papyrus plant: it is not lawful for them to wear either dress or shoes of any other material." And that "nothing of woollen, however is taken into their temples or buried with them, as there religion forbids it. [book II, Chapter 81.] From my outside research I found that most of the time the skins were made of big cats such as leopard but sometimes even a bull. The term of this animal skin covering is "imiut"

2. Wendy Triana: Corselet-

During the time 1,000-600 B.C. is an armor that covers the breastplate. It was worn by soldiers for protection. What I am learning from this word is that overtime corselet became corselette for women wearing corsets more during the early 1900's. Although soldiers usually wear corselets, this one in particular, belonged to Tutankhamun who was a royal during the time of the New Kingdom. This one has a lot of details and scene of him before Amun lord of Karnak and Atum god of creation. It also seems like corselets were made for soldiers who came from wealthy families because they had intricate designs. The leader or ruler would go into battle not wearing armor but instead a corselet to show off his ranking.

3. Kohl-Rebecca Odd 

Kohl is a fine black or dark grey powder that was used as eye makeup during the time of the Egyptians. The purpose of the eye paint was to represent the eye of the God Horus. The textbook also explains that the thick black line around the eye helped to protect against the glare of the sun. The Greeks and Romans viewed eye makeup as excessive and reserved for prostitutes. However, the Egyptians wore both green malachite and black galena in bold strokes. Kohl exaggerated their eyes to enhance their beauty. It also had religious importance to them. The exaggerated eye was a form of tribute to the Gods. They believed the kohl possessed magical properties that gave them protection from diseases and warded off the Evil Eye. Finally, the Egyptians decorated their eyes with heavy makeup for medical benefits. Kohl was used to treat many diseases that affected the eye in the dry arid climate they lived in. It was also proved to be helpful as a sunscreen agent and protected wearers from the harsh glare of the sun. The discovery of kohl led to the invention of kohl pots. These were vessels that contained the cosmetics. Small sticks were used to pick up and apply the kohl on the eye.

4. Emm Yochim / Blue War Crown 

It's supposed to symbolize victory. Usually made of fabric or painted rubber. It started as a crown war during the battle but eventually became a ceremonial crown because again it represents victory. It also is symbolic of the blue sky. Also, it's believed that is might be symbolic of the mushroom of great divine and shaman importance. The Blue War Crown also has golden rings. It's also believed that it is supposed to look like Mars with its ridge. Mars was believed to be another planet just like earth. They also believed that MArs was protected by the cobra, thus the snake that often wrapped around the crown.

5. Lexy Holman 

Henna is actually a powder derived from crushing the leaves of the henna plant. The earliest use of this plant dates back to the Pharaohs in Egypt, 9,000 years ago. Because henna has natural cooling properties, people of the desert, for centuries, have been using henna to help control their body temperature. They would make a paste from the crushed dried leaves of the henna plant and soak their palms and soles of the feet in it to get a cooling affect. The cooling sensation was felt throughout the body for as long as the henna stain remained on their skin. Initially, as the stain faded away, it left patterns on the skin's surface which led to ideas of making designs for decorative purposes. In the ancient Egyptian times even, mummies wore henna designs and it is documented that Cleopatra herself used henna for decorative purposes. Henna was not only a popular accessory for the rich but the poor, who could not afford jewelry, used it to decorate their bodies as well. The textbook mentions that henna may have been used to color nails. A considerable number of women even today use henna as a substitute for nail polish which doesn’t require a nail polish remover. 

https://tribune.com.pk/story/741476/a-brief-history-of-henna 

https://silknstone.com/about-henna/ 

“Survey of Historic Costume” by Tortora & Eubank 2011

6. McKelle Marshall 

Kohl is eye makeup used by the ancient Egyptians to outline and emphasize the eyes. In its simplest form, kohl is a fine black or dark grey powder. In the past, better-quality kohl was made by grinding up galena (lead sulphide) or stibnite (antimony sulphide) – both poisons. 

https://www.cosmeticsandskin.com/cdc/kohl.php 

…Its use in Egypt was much more than simply cosmetic. Used by both men and women of all social classes, the Egyptians believed kohl also had important medicinal, magical and religious qualities. 

https://recipes.hypotheses.org/12837 

 Kohl was used as a protection against the glare of the sun and was considered a powerful charm. The Egyptians had written records of medical prescriptions for eye paints. 

“Survey of Historic Costume” by Tortora & Eubank 2011

7. Amber Davidson- Cones of Scented Wax 

The textbook mentions that scented cones made of wax were placed on their heads after applying their wigs. In ancient Egypt, the scented wax cones were placed on top of the head and the wax would melt and perfume the wearer as the day went on (http://www.thefashionhistorian.com/2012/01/ancient-egypt.html#:~:text=They%20also%20wore%20fragrance%20cones,the%20glare%20of%20the%20sun). These scented cones were for Decorative use and also served a purpose. They are also said to be made from either aromatic resin, or ox fat impregnated with myrrh. Research shows that it was a tradition among men and women to wear perfume cones on their heads especially during the feasts and celebrations. During those times, these cones would slowly melt, releasing a sweet aroma. It was also the usual habit to offer those perfume cones to guests as soon as they arrived at the place of celebration. The cones were soaked in, aromatic substances, which to them those smells helped create the right environment for celebrations. (https://www.fashionologiahistoriana.com/costume-history-legends-essays-in-english/perfume-cone-the-mysterious-fashion-accessory-of-ancient-egypt).

8. Staci Moore - 

I did the bead net dress for my vocab term and picked it because I love dresses and was curious to know more about its history and symbolism. As I was looking into the dress I found that this dress is worn to show status of wealth. This garment is decorated in an overall lozenge pattern which means like a geometrical diamond shape. It represents beadwork and could be sewn into the linen or be separate I on net and either worn over the linen or by itself to reveal. In the article I read it says, “Bead-net dresses were often worn over V-neck dresses as well as wraparound dresses and were constructed in geometric patterns. Two archaeological examples date to the Old Kingdom. The beads are cylinders of blue or green faience threaded into a diamond pattern. In the artistic evidence the bead-net dresses are worn over a wraparound dress. In art the bead-net dresses are fairly common in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, but decline in number during the New Kingdom.” Today people in high fashion will get inspiration on their design from the bead net dress all the way back from Egypt. “In Fall 2013, both Temperly London’s ready-to-wear and Chanel’s couture lines showed strong inspiration from Egyptian beadnet dress styles.” 

Sources:https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/beadnet-dress/ Links to an external site.)

9. Maggie Morton- Eye of Horus 

The Eye of Horus is an ancient symbol in Egypt. According to the textbook, it is a stylized representation of the human eye. It is a symbol of the moon and is meant to represent protection, health, restoration, and healing. The eye of Horus is the left eye, not to be confused with the eye of Ra, the right eye. The origin of the Eye of Horus is thought to be found in the myth of Set and Osiris. The ancient Egyptians believed that Osiris was the king of Egypt and that his brother, Set, desired his throne. So, through careful trickery, Set was successful in murdering his brother. He then became the new king. However, Osiris’ wife, Isis, managed to bring her husband back to life temporarily through magic and then became pregnant with Horus. Isis then ran away fearing that Set would come after Horus to kill him. However, Set found him, and they battled in which the Horus lost his left eye. Khunsu, the god of youth and moon, restored his eye. As a result of the eye being “magically” restored, it became the symbol of healing and sacrifice.The symbol is divided into six very specific and exact parts. Each part represents the shattering of Horus’ eye into six pieces. Each piece is associated with one of the six senses and a specific fraction. People wore it in jewelry and amulets as a source of protection, safety, and healing. 

“Survey of Historic Costume” by Tortora & Eubank 2011 

https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/eye/ 

https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/eye-horus-0011014 

https://www.healio.com/news/pediatrics/20141203/origin-of-the-eye-of-horus

10. Jada Cordon - Schenti 

A schenti is a wrapped skirt that ancient Egyptian men used to wear. It was one of their earliest and most basic garments. It is also referred to as a shent, skent, schent, or a kilt. This garment was wrapped tightly around that waist and would not go longer than the knee. It often times had pleats in it as well. They could be seen on the commoners or the Pharaohs. The schenti was usually worn with no shirt or upper covering. As time evolved, so did the schenti. Historians believe that the first schenti's were made out of leathers and animal skins but then later on changed to linen because it was more comfortable. They started to alter little by little. They started getting longer and adding embellishments like fringe or aprons. In the later years they would wear their schenti underneath a transparent foot length skirt. 

http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/The-Ancient-World-Egypt/Schenti.html 

https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/schenti/ 

 "Survey of Historic Costume" - Tortora & Eubank 2011

11. Elizabeth Gibbons: 

The scarab beetle was a popular symbol in Ancient Egypt. It is associated with the movement of the sun in the heavens and thought to represent life, regeneration, and rebirth. Female scarab beetles lay their eggs in dung, and after roll the eggs inside the dung until it is shaped into a smooth sphere. By doing so, they create a nest of protection which doubles as a first meal for her young after they hatch. The Egyptians saw this ball of dung as symbolic of the sun: warm, round, and supporter of life. They used the symbol of the scarab to represent the Sun god, Khepri, meaning "He who comes forth." Khepri was supposedly the carrier of the sun across the sky, much in the same way a scarab rolls the dung across the ground. The Egyptians also saw meaning in the short time frame between when a female scarab would die and her young would hatch. By all appearances, the scarab was given new life after death from the ball of dung she rolled; thus, making the scarab a symbol of rebirth or resurrection. It was commonly included in households and tombs. Symbolically, the image of the scarab in the tombs was protective of the deceased's journey through the afterlife. Often when the scarab was represented on a talisman, it was crafted using faience - a glaze that produced a greenish or blueish or turquoise color. This color was also associated with life and regeneration in Egypt and was used in the creation of much jewelry and protective charms. Higher class members of Egyptian society would sometimes use durable and expensive materials like gold and silver to craft this talisman as well. 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/scarab (Links to an external site.) 

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/egam/hd_egam.htm (Links to an external site.) 

https://www.experience-ancient-egypt.com/egyptian-religion-mythology/egyptian-symbols-texts/egyptian-scarab-beetle (Links to an external site.) 

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/egfc/hd_egfc.htm (Links to an external site.) 

“Survey of Historic Costume” by Tortora & Eubank 2011

12. Angel Cooper Nefertiti’s Flat Crown 

According to a BYU scholarly journal, it is believed that this crown that Nefertiti wore was a female’s version of the blue war crown, that she devised herself. Nefertiti was the 18th dynasty queen who lived a century after Hatshepsut. She is well known because a sculpted replica of her head was found in the ruins of her city. Her image appears more frequently in art than other queens. “This crown implied power and a subjection of enemies or the forces of chaos.” 

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&context=studiaantiqua 

https://www.arce.org/resource/nefertiti-egyptian-wife-mother-queen-and-icon