ATTIRE
Garments
Since the Egyptian climate was hot they favoured light clothing made from plant fibres like linen. The fabrication of clothes was mostly a woman’s job. It was usually done at home, by beating and combing flax plants that were turned into fibres, which could be spun into thread. At first the cloth was woven on horizontal looms, which were often just pegs shoved into the ground, and later vertical looms were created. Vertical looms were more demanding physically so they were operated by men.
The clothes were kept simple: a short loincloth resembling a kilt for men, variations were made to establish wealth and social standing. Robes were worn by both men and women and were called kalasiris. The kalasiris could cover one or both shoulders or be worn with shoulder straps. They were often worn with a belt which held together the folds of cloth. Women’s dresses could be ornamented with beads and the cloth was sometimes pleated.
Jewellery
The Egyptians already had access to valuable metals,
the Egyptian craftsmen used massive amounts of gold in
many and different ways but the production of jewellery
was the most common. The Egyptians did not use precious
stones, what held the most value to them was only semiprecious
stones. Most of their materials used weren’t chosen because
their colors produced a particular effect, but because colors
for Egyptians were symbolic. For example, for funeral jewellery,
only certain materials were used for the magical properties of
their coloring.
Green was the color of vegetation, growing crops, new life, and possibly resurrection.
Dark blue was the color of the all - embracing, and protective night sky.
Red was the color of blood, dynamism, and power.
Some of the materials used by jewellery makers:
Alabaster
Amethyst
Beryl
Breccia
Feldspar
Garnet
Lapis
Quartz
Turquoise
Gold
Silver
Copper
