The Project Gutenberg eBook ofAncient Egyptian, Assyrian, and Persian costumes and decorationsThis ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.Title: Ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, and Persian costumes and decorationsAuthor: Mary G. HoustonFlorence S. HornblowerRelease date: March 4, 2017 [eBook #54280]Most recently updated: October 23, 2024Language: EnglishCredits: Produced by Turgut Dincer, Chuck Greif and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby The Internet Archive)*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANCIENT EGYPTIAN, ASSYRIAN, AND PERSIAN COSTUMES AND DECORATIONS ***
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
Title: Ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, and Persian costumes and decorationsAuthor: Mary G. HoustonFlorence S. HornblowerRelease date: March 4, 2017 [eBook #54280]Most recently updated: October 23, 2024Language: EnglishCredits: Produced by Turgut Dincer, Chuck Greif and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby The Internet Archive)
Title: Ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, and Persian costumes and decorations
Author: Mary G. HoustonFlorence S. Hornblower
Author: Mary G. Houston
Florence S. Hornblower
Release date: March 4, 2017 [eBook #54280]Most recently updated: October 23, 2024
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Turgut Dincer, Chuck Greif and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby The Internet Archive)
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANCIENT EGYPTIAN, ASSYRIAN, AND PERSIAN COSTUMES AND DECORATIONS ***
Contents.
List of PlatesList of IllustrationsList of Cut Out Patterns or Plans of GarmentsList of Dated Garments(In certain versions of this etext [in certain browsers] clicking on the image will bring up a larger version.)
(etext transcriber's note)
ATECHNICAL HISTORYOF COSTUME*
ATECHNICAL HISTORYOF COSTUME*
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN, ASSYRIAN, ANDPERSIAN COSTUMES
In PreparationANCIENT GREEK, ROMAN ANDBYZANTINE COSTUME AND DECORATIONS.———EUROPEAN COSTUME FROM THETHIRTEENTH CENTURY TO THECOMMENCEMENT OF THE SEVENTEENTHCENTURY——WITH DECORATIONS.———TYPES OF INDIAN, PERSIAN, CHINESEAND JAPANESE COSTUME AND DECORATIONS.With Notes on Various AdditionalTypes of Primitive Garments.
In PreparationANCIENT GREEK, ROMAN ANDBYZANTINE COSTUME AND DECORATIONS.———EUROPEAN COSTUME FROM THETHIRTEENTH CENTURY TO THECOMMENCEMENT OF THE SEVENTEENTHCENTURY——WITH DECORATIONS.———TYPES OF INDIAN, PERSIAN, CHINESEAND JAPANESE COSTUME AND DECORATIONS.With Notes on Various AdditionalTypes of Primitive Garments.
In Preparation
ANCIENT GREEK, ROMAN ANDBYZANTINE COSTUME AND DECORATIONS.
———
EUROPEAN COSTUME FROM THETHIRTEENTH CENTURY TO THECOMMENCEMENT OF THE SEVENTEENTHCENTURY——WITH DECORATIONS.
———
TYPES OF INDIAN, PERSIAN, CHINESEAND JAPANESE COSTUME AND DECORATIONS.With Notes on Various AdditionalTypes of Primitive Garments.
BYMARY G. HOUSTONANDFLORENCE S. HORNBLOWERCONTAINING TWENTY-FIVE FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS,SIXTEEN OF THEM IN COLOUR, AND SIXTY LINEDIAGRAMS IN THE TEXTA. & C. BLACK, LIMITED4, 5 & 6 SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W. 1.1920
Ifthis work is to be kept within its limitations, it is naturally impossible to give a complete survey of all the varieties of the various styles. To get this knowledge it will be necessary to consult the works of reference, of which lists are given in each section. On the other hand, the special aspect of the work is more fully treated than in any other accessible book upon the subject.
Every illustration of costume given has been actually cut out and made up before being sketched, except in a few cases which are of the nature of duplicates, so that by following the directions given it will be easy for anyone to reproduce them in material. Where decoration is required, the exact drawing and colouring of the various styles of Historic Ornament, which are the work of F. S. Hornblower (who has also coloured the costumes where necessary), will enable such details to be appropriately applied.
Throughout the book, the illustrations are given by means of facsimiles of drawings by artists of the various centuries, so that a historic survey of the History of Figure Drawing will be included. Where the drawings of primitive artists do not clearly express the ideas intended to be conveyed, a modern drawingof the garment on a dress-stand will be used for explanation of the measured drawings of the cut-out garments. The growing appreciation of the beauty and value of the earlier and more primitive systems of cutting shown in modern dress designing for the last decade, when the so-called Magyar blouse (really the simple tunic common to all primitive folk) began to be popular, will make the present volume a convenient form of inspiration for designers; also, where more exact reproduction is needed, as in theatrical work, pageantry, and so forth, the careful working out of the details of cut and decoration will expedite production and save hours of fruitless searching in reference libraries.
To the Art Student, in addition to the always interesting history of costume, the development of the Art of Representation, as shown in the illustrations of these volumes, which is so strangely repeated in the personal history of every young person learning to draw, will be attractive and instructive. Finally, in connection with the history lesson in the ordinary school, teachers will find the illustrations clear and helpful, especially if dramatic representations are attempted.
MARY G. HOUSTON.
GENERAL DESCRIPTIONOFANCIENT EGYPTIAN COSTUME
As far as the cutting out of ancient Egyptian costume is concerned, we may divide it broadly into four types—namely: (1) The type of thetunic. (2) The type of therobe. (3) The type of theskirt, with or without cape. (4) The type of theshawlordrapery. The one or two varieties which occur in addition to these may be found in military dress and adaptations from the costumes of other countries. All the varieties above referred to are described in detail in this volume.
Though we find Egyptian costume in many instances decorated all over with woven or printed patterns, decoration in the main was confined to accessories such as the head-dress, collar, and girdle, these being often painted, embroidered, beaded, or jewelled. See various examples given. The colouring which was usually,though not invariably, confined to the decorations consisted of simple schemes, variations of the hues of red, blue, green, yellow, and deep purple described onp. 66.
The material used in the costumes was chiefly linen. In the most ancient types it was of a fairly thick, coarse weave; but in the later examples a fine thin linen, loosely woven so as to appear almost transparent, was used. The linen has often a stiffened appearance, and also gives the idea of having been goffered or pleated.
The earliest types of costume were the tunics; midway come the robes and skirts, and the draped or shawl type of costume appears the latest. However, the older types of costume did not disappear as the new ones were introduced, but all continued to be worn contemporaneously. The dates of most of the costumes in this volume are given with their description, and have been verified at the British Museum.
It can easily be gathered from the illustrations that the types of costume worn by both sexes werevery similar. The high waist-line prevails in feminine dress, while the male costume, if girded, was generally confined about the hips.
British Museum Handbooks and Reproductions.
These reproductions have lately been augmented and for those who cannot visit the Museum will be found most useful.
Plate I.
Plate I., which dates 700B.C., is an exact copy of an Egyptian drawing. It will be noticed that the Egyptian method of representing the figure is a peculiar one. A modern representation of the same type of dress is shown inFig. 2, and the plan of cutting inFig. 2AIt should be noted that this plan—namely, a tunic with braces—is in some instances shown with the braces buttoned on each shoulder at the narrowest part. This illustration is given as a type of Egyptian dress decoration, which would be either printed, painted, or embroidered on the garment. It might be considered that this type of dress more nearly approaches the skirt than the tunic; but reaching, as it does, to the breast-line, and comparing various examples which, as it were, gradually merge into the sleeveless tunic which again merges into the tunic with short sleeves, the present classification will be found to be the most convenient.
PLATE IImage unavailable: PLATE I M.G.H. del. F.S.H. pinx. A GODDESSM.G.H. del.F.S.H. pinx.A GODDESS
Plate II., which dates 1700B.C.also first centuryB.C., is an exact copy of an Egyptian drawing of a woman wearing a species of tunic with braces (plan,Fig. 1). The striped decoration upon this tunic is suggested by the lines of another type of Egyptian dress—namely, the drawn-up skirt. The origin of the decoration can be easily understood by a reference to the drapery onPlate IX.In the original of this drawing the figure is represented with a lofty head-dress in addition to the fillet of ribbon and the golden asp here shown, but for the sake of getting the figure on a scale large enough to show clear details the head-dress is omitted. The person represented is said to be Cleopatra dressed as a goddess.