ÿþ<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head> <meta name="author" content="Frederick John Kluth"/> <meta name="description" content="Girdles were a common clothes item for women in ancient times, but they had a different connotation and use than they do today."/> <meta name="keywords" content="Girdle, belt, corset, women, woman, Greece, Greek, art, symbol, fjkluth"/> <style type="text/css" media="screen"> h2 {color: red; text-align: center} img.photo { float: left; margin-right: 20px;} </style> <title>Women and Girdles in Ancient Greece</title> </head> <body> <p><img class="photo" src="logo.gif" width="200" height="150" alt="Logo of The Role of Women in the Art of Ancient Greece"/></p> <p><a href="index.html">RWAAG Home</a>, Girdles--></p> <h2>Women and Girdles in Ancient Greece</h2> <p>Advertisement:</p> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-0012620521126070"; /* Goddesses */ google_ad_slot = "1441480835"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> <p><a href="sguide.html">Shop in a catalog of almost everything</a></p> <p><a href="grepw30.html">Buy Greek items on Amazon.com</a></p> <p><a href="grepq36.html">Discounts, Sales, Specials, and Savings available from offers on the Internet</a></p> <p>If you click above and follow the links to a purchase then this site receives a commission for its support.</p> <h2>Women and Girdles in Ancient Greece</h2> <p>There are numerous references to girdles in the Iliad and the Odyssey. An anaysis of these references will be performed with an eye to reconstructing what a girdle might have looked like. This is particularly interesting because it might reveal some nature of the Minoan influence on classical Greek culture. Mycenaean images do suggest that the Minoan influence was strong. An important consideration is the technology of weaving in the Minoan an Mycenaean Cultures. The Mycenaean culture was an Indo-European culture as evidenced by the nature of their proto-Greek language. The Indo-European language is rich in words related to weaving so the Myceneans may have had an advantage here. The typical classical attire, the peplos for women, and the chiton for men, are based mainly on rectangles of cloth that are easily woven. The pictures of the Minoans show clothing that is more fitted to the body. One possible explanation for this is that the Minoan garments were not woven but were rather knotted or simply made of string.</p> <p>Consider <cite>Iliad</cite>, 14.181: " and she girt about her a girdle set with an hundred tassels.</p> <p>The Greek word for girdle that is used here is '¶É½·E'. The meaning here implies no more than a belt or cord that circles around. Attached are tassels or fringe '¸Åñ½¿¹Â'. Since Homer uses this same term to apply to the tassels of the Aegis of Athena at 2.448 it seems unlikely that a string skirt is described. But it could be the apron of the Minoan attire. At any rate around the waist seems the likely location.</p> <p>Consider <cite>Iliad</cite>, 14.214: "She spake, and loosed from her bosom the broidered girdle, [215] curiously-wrought, wherein are fashioned all manner of allurements; therein is love, therein desire, therein dalliance--beguilement that steals the wits even of the wise."</p> <p>The Greek word for girdle that is used here is the phrase "ºµÃÄ¿½ ¹¼±½Ä±" and this tranlates literally as embroidered belt. The word 'ºµÃÄ¿½' is related to the Greek word 'ºµ½ÄsÉ' which means 'to prick'. Later the word 'ºµÃÄ¿Â' was used to mean 'girdle'. In this case the girdle could not be a cord as before but must be broader like a belt.</p> <p>Then at <cite>Iliad</cite>, 14.214: "This (Aphrodite) laid in her hands, and spake, and addressed her: Take now and lay in thy bosom this girdle,". The greek word translated as bosom in this case is 'º¿»À¿Â'. A better translation would be 'womb'. Rather than being above the waist this girdle is below the waist and covers the womb.</p> <p>At <cite>Iliad</cite> 23.260. "and fair-girdled women" The word Homer uses is 'µÅ¶É½¿ÅÂ'. Essentially he seems to mean well clothed so the reference is to all the garments.</p> <p>At <cite>Odyssey</cite> 3.154 "and put on board our goods and the low-girdled women." The word Homer uses is '²±¸Å¶É½¿Â'. This probably does not relate to the location of the girdle. Rather it is a reference to the fact that Trojan women wore their garments with deep folds.</p> <p>At <cite>Odyssey</cite> 3.154 "and about her waist she cast a fair girdle of gold,..". The word for girdle used is '¶É½·½' and there is no doubt about its location.</p> <p>Goddesses wear almost transparent dresses and girdles that are not cords or thongs. It could be a chain or a series of plates, but more likely it is an embroidered belt with the pieces of gold stiched on.</p> <p>At <cite>Odyssey</cite> 10.543: "Round about me then she cast a cloak and tunic as raiment, and the nymph clothed herself in a long white robe, finely-woven and beautiful, and about her waist she cast [545] a fair girdle of gold, and upon her head she put a veil. "</p> <p>Here again the girdle seems to be a belt holding in place a rectangular piece of cloth wrapped around the body.</p> <p>At <cite>Odyssey</cite> 11.245:"And he loosed her maiden girdle, and shed sleep upon her"</p> <p>At first glance it seems a girdle is a chastity belt, but it would also be consistent that women wore a belt over their womb.</p> <p>At <cite>Odyssey</cite> 23.147:"So the great hall resounded all about with the tread of dancing men and of fair-girdled women;"</p> <p>The word used here is 'º±»»¹¶É½É½'. The obious intent is that the girls were beautifully dressed.</p> <p>Based on these readings a girdle composed of a cord with tassels hanging off of it seems likely. What follows is a picture of such a girdle below the waist. But such a girdle can be worn at the waist and above the breasts. The picture illustrates two girdles, a tasseled one below the waste and an belted one above. By the descriptions either position can be exchanged as the location of a girdle is not certain.</p> <h2>Images of Ancient Greek Girdles</h2> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/image?img=Perseus:image:1993.01.0456">Secomgd from left Kriseis wears a chiton with overfall, a girdle, a himation over both shoulders, a necklace and earrings.</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/image?img=Perseus:image:1992.11.0400">Asteria wears chiton and himation, but ear-rings too; her hair is lifted by a sling and has leaves stuck in it, or a wreath, in front. Her girdle is seen, and the cord keeping the right sleeve in place</a></li> <li><a href="girdle.html">Types of girdles on a doll model</a></li> </ul> <hr/> <p>To ask a question about this topic note the topic (Girdle) and <a href="comm.html">Click here</a></p> <hr/> <h2>Women and Girdles in Ancient Greece</h2> <h3>Questions and Answers</h3> <h2><a href="index.html">Click Here for Menu Directory</a></h2> <p>Advertisement:</p> <p>Buying links: <a href="grepar.html">Art Supplies and Original Art</a> -- <a href="grepe.html">Audio Books</a> -- <a href="grepeb.html">eBooks(books in digital form)</a> -- <a href="grepq.html">Traditional Books</a> -- <a href="grepb.html">Business to Business</a> -- <a href="grepcoe.html">Collectibles</a> -- <a href="grepcol.html">College</a> -- <a href="grepcomh.html">Computer HW(Hardware)</a> -- <a href="grepcoms.html">Computer SW(Software)</a> -- <a href="grepcon.html">Construction and Built-in Decoration of Homes</a> -- <a href="grepce.html">Consumer Electronics</a> -- <a href="grepcos.html">Cosmetics and Fragrances</a> -- <a href="greppa.html">Costumes and Party Goods</a> -- <a href="grepev.html">Events</a> -- <a href="grepk.html">Furniture and Removable Decoration of Homes</a> -- <a href="grepg.html">Games</a> -- <a href="grepga.html">Flowers and Garden</a> -- <a href="grepj.html">Gifts</a> -- <a href="grepgr.html">Groceries, Gourmet Food, and Wine</a> -- <a href="grepha.html">Hair Care</a> -- <a href="grepl.html">Handbags and Luggage</a> -- <a href="greph.html">Health Food</a> -- <a href="grepho.html">Hotels and Travel</a> -- <a href="grepo.html">Jewelry</a> -- <a href="grepki.html">Kitchen and Dining</a> -- <a href="grepmal.html">Malls and Virtual Malls</a> -- <a href="grepme.html">Men&#39;s</a> -- <a href="grepu.html">Movies/DVD's</a> -- <a href="grepmu.html">Music</a> -- <a href="grepou.html">Outdoors</a> -- <a href="grepp.html">Parts and Accessories(Auto)</a> -- <a href="grepph.html">Photo</a> -- <a href="greppo.html">Posters, Prints and Painting Reproductions</a> -- <a href="greps.html">Shoes</a> -- <a href="grepte.html">Teens</a> -- <a href="grepto.html">Toys</a> -- <a href="grepw.html">Women&#39;s</a></p> <p><a href="grepeur.html">Geschäft in Europa</a></p> <p><a href="grepuk.html">United Kingdom Vendors</a></p> <p>If you click above and follow the links to a purchase then this site receives a commission for its support.</p> <p><img class="photo" src="logo.gif" width="200" height="150" alt="Logo of The Role of Women in the Art of Ancient Greece"/></p> <p><a href="index.html">RWAAG Home</a>, Girdles--></p> <p>updz20090823</p> </body> </html>