Classical  & Hellenistic Times
 Sculpture

Parthenon marbles and same period's status or tombstones give us an idea about clothes during classical times (5th century b.C).
 
Both women and men clothes were very easy to make and to put them on. They were usually made from a  piece of rectangular material, with no special shaping and very little sewing. People made their clothes out of sheep's wool which was spun to make lightweight cloth. Colored costume was popular, and women used natural dyes from plants to colour fabric.

Peplos and Chiton
Chiton was the main dress for both men and women - a kind of tunic made from two rectangles of fabric
fastened together along the shoulder and arms, belted at the waist.  It was usually made of a lightweight
fabric and closed on both sides or worn open on one full side. The open style is more closely associated
with people of Sparta than people of Athens.

                                 Exomis was a version of short chiton with right arm left free for activity.
                                 This marble statue from The Metropolitan Museum of Art  (Roman copy of a Greek
                                 bronze original dated  about 450–425 B.C.) depicting a wounded Amazon wearing an
                                 exomis. 
                                 By the time of the Classical & Hellenistic periods, the most frequent depictions of
                                 Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, are as she is seen here, wearing exomis and
                                 armed with her bow & arrows. (Delos Archaeological Museum)
                                 Others chiton's versions were Xystis (a chiton used by all chariot drivers during
the race, like the famous Charioteer of Delphi)  and Chitoniskos (a short Chiton, sometimes worn by
warriors over another Chiton like Aristonautes)

Peplos  is perhaps a more distinctively Greek garment than the chiton, as the chiton's construction has
similarities to apparel types in a number of other cultures and times. However, the Peplos has several
characteristics that distinguish it from other clothing traditions.
Made of one large rectangular piece of cloth, it was formed into a cylinder and then folded along
the top line into a deep cuff, creating an "apoptygma".
The neckline and armholes of the Peplos were formed by fibulae, broochlike pins that attached the
back to the front of the garment at either shoulder.
You can see below status and tombstones with different styles of chiton or Peplos.
 

Mourning Athena probably intended as a tombstone.
The goddess wearing an Attic Peplos with a belt and slightly bends her head towards the stele depicted in front of her. Dated to 460 B.C.
Acropolis Museum

Goodness Athena Parthenon's marbles (west pediment) part of contest of Athena and Poseidon.
 British Museum-London

The relief from Elefsis. Relief with the representation  Persephone, her mother Demeter, and young Triptolemos. The relief was found at Elefsis and is dated to  440-430 BC.
National Museum of Athens.

The Caryatid
 Statues of young women with Peplos. Caryatids supported the roof of  Erechtheion. Now are at the Acropolis Museum except one who is at  British Museum-London. .
Dated to 420 B.C

Also at this page: The Winged Victory  This magnificent sculpture was discovered in 1862 at Samothrace The name of the sculptor and its exact date are unknown, but stylistically, it fits into the same time as the Altar of Pergamum, that is, approximately 180-150 B.C. Now on display in the Louvre in Paris.

Himation
The Himation was worn over the Chiton,  by  men and some times by women. Men's himation  tended to be without decoration  and  usually knee-length besides the women's himation were long. It was the favoured garment of the politicians and the intellectuals. The ease and graceful way in which this woolen garment was worn affected one's social prestige.

Section of the Parthenon frieze coming from the east part of the building. The relief representation depicts the three Olympian gods  watching the arrival of the people during Panathenaic celebration.  Acropolis Museum- Athens	Marble statues of  Antinoos and Tiberius  dated to the 2nd century A.D. Archaeological Museum of Eleusis		The great always grim looking orators Sophocles and Demosthenes under their himation. Roman copies of Greek bronze originals  in marble about 380 BC. Now In the Vatican Museum, Rome

Chlamys
Chlamys was sometimes used for additional protection. It was a small mantle or cloak used for traveling or riding.
It was often used by warriors on the march. It measures about 72" by 54". It was fastened with a fibula in front
or on one shoulder.

The warrior of Sosicles. Statue is missing. Until 1940, was displayed in the open area near the theatre of Butrint-Albania

      Read more about Sculpture during Classical times and Parthenon marbles

     Page's Resources:
      Perseus Digital Library    -    (The portal of Hellenic Ministry of Culture)    -  The Parthenon Marbles
      Metropolitan  Museum of Arts -New York - The New Greek Galleries

  intered Kallitheas, On Track Team's case study. Vangelis L. was responsible for this part of our work.
Recommended Resolution  1024 x 728 -  Last update 13/04/2005