Ancient Egyptian Attire

Sharing a culture

The inspiration behind this series of articles (which appeared on the Opinion Page of Al-Ahram Weekly in the issues of 31 March, 21 April, 5 May and 9 June) was the remarkable and united effort shown by the protesters in Tahrir Square in the early days of the national uprising that started on 25 January 2011. Six months later there are incidents of sectarian strife, secularists running a "Constitution First" campaign, and Al-Azhar, the prominent seat of Sunni Islam, highlighting the need to respect freedom and human rights "as well as commitment to the principle of citizenship".

It is this last comment, made by Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb in the "Al-Azhar Document" on Egypt's future, that attracted my attention. Citizenship implies national identity, and national identity is not a question of nationality but of common points in people's lives -- whether national symbols, national colours, culture, cuisine, traditions or shared political objectives. Cleopatra, for example, was last in a line of ethnic Greek sovereigns and has been immortalised as a beautiful seductress, while in fact she was an intelligent and politically astute figure who fought Rome in the name of Egypt (and was, by all accounts, not especially beautiful). Another ruler, the Albanian-born soldier Mohamed Ali, created an independent Egyptian state, laid the foundations of a prosperous economy, and turned a neglected Turkish colony into an Egyptian kingdom whose power was recognised throughout the Mediterranean world. In other words, national identity is not an inborn trait. It is a sense of belonging to one country, or to one nation; a feeling that is shared with a group regardless of citizenship status.

Egypt has experienced political, economic and spiritual growth through millennia, but it has also known discrimination and corruption in one form or another. Time and again the country has been exposed to elements that have stimulated its development, changed its outlook, and even inspired styles of clothing. Yet, alongside the differences, a tradition can be traced. It is manifested in crafts such as weaving, masonry and book-binding, and there are, in addition, fundamental resemblances that stand out less vividly but which show a remarkable continuity in location, tradition and ritual.

There are places in Egypt that are traditionally regarded as holy, and which have a history of sanctity long predating monotheism. Many ancient monuments were transformed into Christian churches. In turn, mosques have been constructed on the site of former Christian chapels.

History Of Fashion: Ancient Egyptian Accessories | Kett Lebell ...

Jewelry and ornaments

Ancient Egyptian attire, with the exception of nobility’s garments, was simple and unadorned. Color and wealth were displayed through accessories, mainly jewelry, which both men and women wore. The simple white pleated clothing was often richly enhanced with wide collars made of shells, beads, flowers, and precious stones set in gold – a style that originated during the Old Kingdom. However these decorative pieces were only a sample of the range of jewelry available. Jewelry was part of ancient Egyptian wardrobe since before the Dynasties and Egyptians had mastered the art of jewelry making. Necklaces, armlets, bracelets, and anklets were made of gold, coral, pearl, agate, onyx, and chalcedony. Silver was the substance of the gods’ bones and was mainly used for ornamentation.

Accessories also had religious or political significance. The pharaohs’ regalia was highly symbolic. The cobra, worn on both the crown and the hood-like head-dress, was a symbol exclusive to kings in Egypt. And so was the ankh, which was a sacred sign of life. The crook and flail represented authority over the land and the people. Amulets, such as scarab beetles, were worn in life and then buried with the dead for protection.

Flowers were often used as adornment, not only for their beauty, but also for their sacred qualities. Archeologists have found mummies wearing collars of flowers. These were often used in religious ceremonies.

Hair and head-dresses

Hair styles indicated a person’s position. Children’s hair, for example, was short with a long strand falling from the right-hand side of the head. Married women often wore shoulder-length locks, which framed the face while the rest of the hair fell down the back of the head. Premarital women and young servant girls sometimes held their hair with ringlets to either side of the face.

Hair could be either concealed or revealed by a head-dress. The most famous of ancient Egyptian headgear were the pharaohs’ crowns, such as the red crown of Lower Egypt, the towering white crown of Upper Egypt, the double crown of united Egypt (i.e. the combined red and white crowns), and the blue crown of battle.

The ubiquitous fabric head-dress, the bulky klaft, primarily served to protect the wearer from the heat of the sun. Made from a thick material, it was fixed at the temples and fell in folds over the shoulders.

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