Minoan society was complex and advanced. The excavation finds give us valuable information about life in the palaces. One area, which is particularly impressive, is the bright costumes of the Minoans, which seem to have evolved with society. No textiles have been found, but the knowledge we have today about the fashion of the time is based on wall paintings, clay and bronze tables, seals, vases, jewelry and Linear A inscriptions.
In the pre-palatial period, fashion included long, colorful skirts, bodices, belts, and very impressive hats. The hats were sometimes tall, sometimes short, bulky or wide-brimmed.
In the courtly period, hats were abolished and women began to reveal their long, rich curly hair, which fell onto their shoulders. They began to wear many different types of skirts, with horizontal pleats, ruffles and even envelope skirts. The skirts became very tight and completely exposed the woman's breasts. The colors in the fabrics were bright and impressive with countless colors. Red, yellow and blue dominated the design patterns. The Minoans used the available natural wealth for the preparation of paints. They used saffron, the most expensive spice today, to make yellow. Murex seashells produced a rich purple. Garments were made of wool, linen and treated leather.
The women began to lend their image to the depictions of divine figures on figurines. The snake goddess wears a bell-shaped skirt with frills that reaches the ground. Her bodice has short sleeves, is tight and reveals her breasts.
The Minoans were very fond of jewelry. They wore earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets. The jewelry was made of gold, silver, agate, amethyst, orea crystal (a type of quartz), electrum and also of ivory. The beads were made from the above materials and from faience. Pins, clamps, rubbers and small bone combs completed the look.
The makeup was very neat. The women spread white powder on their faces and painted their lips, cheeks and lips red. Their eyes were heavily painted with dark paint. The figure on the fresco ΄la Parisienne' of the 15th BC. impresses with her big eyes, curly hair and red lips.
As in our days, upper class women and priestesses created the fashion and style of the time, and the rest of the women in the rural areas followed. The Minoan fashion inspires great designers with its colors and patterns even today.
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