Ryann Mahoney

How is ancient Greek clothing represented in material culture, and how does it portray the intentions and customs of ancient Greek society?

Started Mar. 26, 2024

Abstract or project description

The purpose of this project is to investigate how ancient Greek clothing showed the beliefs and philosophies of people living in ancient Greek society. The project uses material culture to understand this clothing, including depictions on vases and in sculptures between the Archaic and the Hellenistic period, as well as Roman and early modern imitations. It specifically focuses on how an individual’s clothing shows their role in society, their status, and their circumstances at the time.The project will take the form of a fashion magazine. The magazine will be organized by subject focus, with specific sections devoted to important as well as different types of clothing. The garments, accessories, degree of nudity, and other attributes will be described in these subject pages. There are also three essays on the meaning of nudity in Greek sculptures, women’s constraints regarding clothing, and the portrayal of status using clothing. Once completed, the magazine could be shared as a contribution to the study of ancient Greek clothing and published as an educational resource.