1 Sources of information: temples, Theban and other tombs, sculpture of the Pyramids of Gizeh, portrait statues, mural paintings, mummy cases, papyri manuscripts, colored hieroglyphs showing merchants, laborers, and kings.
2 MEN (Ancient Kingdom, Dynasties I-X)Garments:Outer upper: nude populace, until Dynasty V.Outer lower: short skirt of white linen worn by nobility; skirt wider and longer, Dynasties V and VI; triangular erection at side; soft material draped in different ways with large, stiff box pleat or fullness draped under belt at front; royal skirt with front rounded off and wide strip hanging from under girdle worn by king; loin cloth worn by peasant.Under: loin cloth worn by nobility in later part of period.Cloaks and overgarments: skins of wild beasts; long, elaborately draped robe worn by king for official business.Hair: black wig; round bob arranged in little curls; long hair falling from crown of head to shoulder worn later in period.Headdress: red wickerwork crown of Lower Egypt; tall, white, helmet-like crown of Upper Egypt; pshent, after 3700 B.C.; helmet headdress with royal snake or Symbol of royalty worn also by pharaoh; close-fitting hood with lappet at each side; claft; badge ending with gold fringe; simple fillet worn by man not of royal birth.Footwear: sandal of plaited or woven papyrus or palm leaves, worn out-of-doors.Accessories: ornamental girdle of painted leather or embroidered linen; walking stick ornamented with color and gold, inscribed with owner’s name.Jewelry: bracelet inlaid with paste or precious stones, for the upper or lower arm; anklet of colored embroidery or of gold and silver; necklace with pendant figure of god or sacred animal; gold, silver, bronze, or faïence ring; official seal ring of red carnelian used by pharaoh; beads in profusion, of emerald lapis lazuli, agate, carnelian, amethyst, onyx, jasper, garnet, rock crystal, and turquoise; pearl and amber also popular.Typical Colors: usually white; mineral dyes used at first, later vegetable dyes.Typical Materials: cloth of coarse texture; skirt of matting, worn by peasant.Make-up: postiche or artificial beard; various lords of the royal toilette important, called “superintendents of the clothes of the King,” “washers of the Pharoah,” etc.
3 WOMEN (Ancient Kingdom, Dynasties I-X)Garments:Outer upper and outer lower: tight tunic with 1 or 2 shoulder straps, bare breast.Cloak and overgarments: opaque and transparent shoulder cape.Hair: cut short to accommodate wig; wig of real hair worn by well-to-do, of wool, by lowest class; wig set low on forehead; fringed wig sometimes reaching to shoulder; black wig ornamented with gold; gold wig sometimes terminating in braids; coiffure supports worn; straight hair in 2 long tresses or rolls hanging to breast; hair also worn loosely; lotus flower often intertwined in the hair; horus lock.1. Pectoral 2. Kalasiris 3. Lily or Lotus 4. Apron 5. Cross or Key of Life 6. Transparent Outerskirt 7. Loin Cloth 8. Hieroglyph 9. CollarHeaddress: miter-shaped cap with long ear-tabs; type similar to claft worn by man; helmet-like cap; thin bonnet of soft material with hood effect; small toque; festive coiffure resembling hawk or guinea head; vulture with outspread wings, symbolic of Maati, Goddess of Truth; vulture cap; feather or plumed headdress of Isis worn by the queen; stiff turban with uraeus worn by royalty; perfumed cone, 4 to 6 inches high; gold circlet around wig worn by royal concubine.Footwear: barefoot or sandal.Accessories: cane, 4 to 6 feet long, often gilded and inscribed with owner’s name; mirror of bronze with handle forming a design of a flower or a human being; fan made of dyed feathers and leaves, having handle 5 to 7 feet long.Jewelry: many strands of beads sometimes extending to waist; jeweled collar; jeweled belt sometimes connected to jeweled collar by straps; at first, anklet of beadwork or woven material, later of gold and silver; upper and lower arm bands. Refer to B. 6.Typical Colors: white, green, yellow, and red for tunic.Typical Materials: softer linen than fabric used for man’s costume.Make-up: oils and unguents; stibium for eye; green or black eye shadow; kohl; veins of chest sometimes outlined in blue; lips painted with carmine; fingertips and toes colored with henna.
4 MEN (Middle Kingdom, Dynasties XI-XVII)Garments:Outer upper: sleeved tunic of heavy or transparent linen, unbelted and reaching to knee; belted tunic of opaque, soft material.Outer lower: continuation of older types; transparent outerskirt over underskirt, both skirts same length at first, then outerskirt narrow, and longer in back than in front.Under: loin cloth.Cloaks and overgarments: shawl; draped robe with opening for head, side forming draped sleeve, sometimes left unsewed.Hair: wig set low on forehead covering ears; long-haired wig with hair falling back from crown.Headdress: pshent; badge; claft, helmet-like cap ornamented with royal asp.Footwear: sandal often lined with cloth, embroidered in gold and decorated with enamel and jewels, sometimes ornamental clasp over instep, heelless sandal with turned-up toe worn by upper class; enemy sandal with picture of enemy on inside of sole; mourner unsandaled.1. Symbol of Royalty 2. Claft 3. Vulture Cap 4. Asp 5. Mantle 6. Sacred Beetle or Scarab 7. Feather Headdress 8. Horus Lock 9. Fillet 10. Cape 11. Cone 12. BadgeAccessories: waist belt with elaborate, long, narrow apron; royal apron decorated with colored feathers, asp, lion’s head, and polychrome glass, attached to girdle; apron with master’s name worn by slave; lion’s tail sometimes worn at back of skirt of royalty, cross, or key of life; walking stick about 6 feet long, and with head resembling flower or other ornament.Jewelry: refer to B. 6.Typical Colors: green popular; white generally used by upper class triad of colors used—black, yellow, and red; red, blue, and white; dark blue, light blue, and white; cream, blue, and black; dark red, medium yellow, and blue; also dazzling white, red, saffron, blue, or black costume; colors in manuscripts distinguish types: woman (yellow); man (red); deified king (black); nobleman (usually white); god (green); slave (blue).Typical Materials: wool, considered unclean by priest, worn by layman; costliness of material used in costume distinguished class; heavy and transparent linen used in tunic; fine linen of natural color, bleached, or dyed, often embroidered with gold, silver, and purple by upper class; cotton or linen cap; leopard skin worn by priest; papyrus plant or matting for tight, short costumes used by lower class; woven palm leaves or papyrus, wood or leather used for sandal.Make-up: skin painted or dyed; unguents and oils used; false ceremonial beard, with or without slender line along jawbone, length determining rank of person.
5 WOMEN (Middle Kingdom, Dynasties, XI-XVII)Garments:Outer upper: tunic with strap across shoulder or with kimono sleeve; robe of opaque, soft material, similar to a man’s garment although draped differently and girded.Outer lower: transparent outer skirt; wraparound skirt with fullness at front; skirt longer than the man’s and belted higher; plain wraparound skirt, the garment of slave.Cloaks and overgarments: shawl; shoulder cape; rectangular cape.Hair: short bob similar to type worn by man; sometimes rather long with.curled ends, worn behind ears; black wig ornamented with gold, having 2 tresses extending to the breast.Headdress: elaborate, or merely a circlet of gold worn by royalty; vulture cap, uraeus, plumed or feather headdress; crown of Lower Egypt worn over crown of Upper Egypt by queen; fillet with naturalistic lotus; decorated cloth over wig; perfumed cone 4 to 6 inches high.1. Wig 2. Winged Globe 3. Pshent 4. Arm Band 5. Wraparound Skirt 6. Tunic 7. Papyrus or ReedFootwear: sandal with turned-up toe.Accessories: parasol used on chariot and for ceremonial procession; fan of leaves, palmetto, or dyed feathers; walking stick, 4 to 6 feet long; hair comb of wood or ivory; stick of ivory, wood, bronze, or glass used for applying make-up; container of alabaster for kohl; mirror of highly polished metal.Jewelry: breast plate; elaborate girdle clasp; gold, silver, bronze, faience, and enamel earrings; rings; pectoral; bead necklace with pendant in form of amulet or sacred animal; flat bracelet and arm bands; sometimes anklet. Refer to C. 6.Typical Colors: green very popular at first, white, yellow, and red also worn; white very fashionable later.Typical Materials: very fine linen.Make-up: body oils of various kinds, including castor oil; eye and brow made longer with kohl; eyeshadow of blue or green made of malachite; ochre used on cheeks; henna used to color fingertips and toes; superfluous hair plucked; special care given to teeth; bone or ivory false teeth held in place with gold wires; false beard attached by a gold chin strap sometimes worn by queen.
6 MEN (New Kingdom, Dynasties XVIII-XXX)Garments:Outer upper: many changes in style of clothing for man; shirt introduced in Dynasty XVIII, tucked under girdle; tunic sometimes with sleeve for left arm only, right arm free for movement; kalasiris.Outer lower: length of skirt from just below the knee to the ankle; many variations of skirt, including looped puffs, giving first suggestion of drapery worn in latter part of Dynasty XVIII; underskirt longer and wider, sometimes with pleating; short skirt, similar to antique type, worn by
