A chiton (Greek: χιτών, khitōn) is a form of tunic that fastens at the shoulder, worn by men and women of ancient Greece and Rome.[1][2] There are two forms of chiton. One is the Doric chiton and the later Ionic chiton. According to Herodotus, popular legend was that Athenian women began to wear the chiton as opposed to the peplos after several women stabbed a messenger to death with the bronze pins characteristic of the peplos.[3]
The word chiton is derived from a Central Semitic language *kittan (e.g. Hebrew כֻּתֹּנֶת kuttṓnĕṯ), ultimately from a word for flax.[4][5]
Different forms and wearing styles
A shorter version of the chiton was called the chitoniskos.
Doric chiton
The Doric chiton is a single rectangle of woolen or linen fabric. It can be worn plain or with an overfold called an apoptygma, which is more common to women. It can be draped and fastened at the shoulder by pins (Greek: peronai;[6] Latin: fibulae) or sewing, or by buttons.[7]
Ionic chiton
The Ionic chiton could also be made from linen or wool and was draped without the fold and held in place from neck to wrist by several small pins or buttons.
Herodotus states the dress of the women in Athens was changed from the Doric peplos to the Ionic chiton after the widows of the men killed on military expedition to Aegina stabbed and killed the sole survivor with their peplos pins, each demanding where their husband was. This lynching 'seemed a thing more terrible than the disaster'. Thereafter their chitons were held with buttons, often styled with the face of the Gorgon.
A large belt called a zoster could be worn over the chiton, usually under the breast ("high-girdled") or around the waist ("low-girdled") or a narrower "zone" or girdle could be used. The chiton's length was greater than the height of the wearer, so excessive fabric was pulled above the belt, like a blouse. A double-girdled style also existed. The chiton was often worn in combination with the heavier himation over it, which had the role of a cloak.
Monochiton
Two women wearing simple chiton poderes, without a belt or apoptygma (overfold). As they are not wearing himations, these are monochitons
When used alone (without a himation), the chiton was called a monochiton. A long chiton which reached the heels was called a chiton poderes, while a longer one which dragged the ground was called a chiton syrtos or an helkekhitōn (ἑλκεχίτων) (literally, a chiton that drags the ground).[8][9] A woman's chiton would always be worn at ankle length. Men wore the long chiton during the Archaic period, but later wore it at knee length, except for certain occupations such as priests and charioteers, and also the elderly.
A sleeved form was worn by priests and actors. The colour or pattern would often indicate status, but varied over time. The chiton was the outfit of Aphrodite because it was considered very feminine, although men also wore it. Dionysus is often depicted wearing it. The chiton was also worn by the Romans after the 3rd century BCE. However, they referred to it as a tunica. An example of the chiton can be seen, worn by the caryatids, in the porch of the Erechtheion in Athens. A charioteer's chiton can be seen on the Charioteer of Delphi (474 BC) in the image at the beginning of the article.[10]
In Sparta, Spartan women's clothing was simple and short. They wore the Dorian peplos, with slit skirts which bared their thighs.[11] The Dorian peplos was made of a heavier woolen material than was common in Ionia, and was fastened at the shoulder by pins.[12] When running races, Spartan girls wore a distinctive single-shouldered knee-length chiton.[13]
^"Dress in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Online.
^Blinderman, Charles (January 1, 1990). BIOLEXICON: A Guide to the Language of Biology. Charles C Thomas Publisher. ISBN9780398082277 – via Google Books.
Pomeroy, Sarah B. (1994), Goddesses, Whores, Wives and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity, London: Pimlico, ISBN978-0-712-66054-9
Pomeroy, Sarah (2002), Spartan Women, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN0-195-13067-7
"Chiton" Encyclopædia Britannica
Garland, Robert (2008), Ancient Greece Everyday Life in the Birthplace of Western Civilization, New York: Sterling Press, ISBN978-1-4549-0908-8
Radicke, Jan (2022), Roman Women's Dress, Berlin: De Gruyter, ISBN 978-3-11-071155-4
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chiton.
(French, Pdf)
January 20, 2023
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A chiton Greek xitwn khitōn is a form of tunic that fastens at the shoulder worn by men and women of ancient Greece and Rome 1 2 There are two forms of chiton One is the Doric chiton and the later Ionic chiton According to Herodotus popular legend was that Athenian women began to wear the chiton as opposed to the peplos after several women stabbed a messenger to death with the bronze pins characteristic of the peplos 3 Statue with short chitonCharioteer in an Ionic chiton Contents 1 Etymology 2 Different forms and wearing styles 2 1 Doric chiton 2 2 Ionic chiton 2 3 Zoster 2 3 1 Monochiton 3 See also 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksEtymology EditThe word chiton is derived from a Central Semitic language kittan e g Hebrew כ ת נ ת kuttṓnĕṯ ultimately from a word for flax 4 5 Different forms and wearing styles EditA shorter version of the chiton was called the chitoniskos Doric chiton Edit The Doric chiton is a single rectangle of woolen or linen fabric It can be worn plain or with an overfold called an apoptygma which is more common to women It can be draped and fastened at the shoulder by pins Greek peronai 6 Latin fibulae or sewing or by buttons 7 Ionic chiton Edit The Ionic chiton could also be made from linen or wool and was draped without the fold and held in place from neck to wrist by several small pins or buttons Herodotus states the dress of the women in Athens was changed from the Doric peplos to the Ionic chiton after the widows of the men killed on military expedition to Aegina stabbed and killed the sole survivor with their peplos pins each demanding where their husband was This lynching seemed a thing more terrible than the disaster Thereafter their chitons were held with buttons often styled with the face of the Gorgon Zoster Edit Belting of the Charioteer of Delphi front view above A large belt called a zoster could be worn over the chiton usually under the breast high girdled or around the waist low girdled or a narrower zone or girdle could be used The chiton s length was greater than the height of the wearer so excessive fabric was pulled above the belt like a blouse A double girdled style also existed The chiton was often worn in combination with the heavier himation over it which had the role of a cloak Monochiton Edit Two women wearing simple chiton poderes without a belt or apoptygma overfold As they are not wearing himations these are monochitons When used alone without a himation the chiton was called a monochiton A long chiton which reached the heels was called a chiton poderes while a longer one which dragged the ground was called a chiton syrtos or an helkekhitōn ἑlkexitwn literally a chiton that drags the ground 8 9 A woman s chiton would always be worn at ankle length Men wore the long chiton during the Archaic period but later wore it at knee length except for certain occupations such as priests and charioteers and also the elderly A sleeved form was worn by priests and actors The colour or pattern would often indicate status but varied over time The chiton was the outfit of Aphrodite because it was considered very feminine although men also wore it Dionysus is often depicted wearing it The chiton was also worn by the Romans after the 3rd century BCE However they referred to it as a tunica An example of the chiton can be seen worn by the caryatids in the porch of the Erechtheion in Athens A charioteer s chiton can be seen on the Charioteer of Delphi 474 BC in the image at the beginning of the article 10 In Sparta Spartan women s clothing was simple and short They wore the Dorian peplos with slit skirts which bared their thighs 11 The Dorian peplos was made of a heavier woolen material than was common in Ionia and was fastened at the shoulder by pins 12 When running races Spartan girls wore a distinctive single shouldered knee length chiton 13 See also EditClothing in the ancient world Clothing in ancient Greece Exomis Stephane Ancient Greece TogaReferences Edit Wilson Nigel ed 2006 Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece Psychology Press pp 245 ISBN 978 0 415 97334 2 Radicke Jan 2022 11 07 1 tunica Roman tunica and Greek chiton De Gruyter doi 10 1515 9783110711554 017 ISBN 978 3 11 071155 4 Garland p 144 Dress in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Online Blinderman Charles January 1 1990 BIOLEXICON A Guide to the Language of Biology Charles C Thomas Publisher ISBN 9780398082277 via Google Books peronh Liddell Henry George Scott Robert A Greek English Lexicon at the Perseus Project Elderkin Kate 1928 Buttons and their Use in Greek Garments The American Journal of Archaeology 32 3 333 345 JSTOR 497471 Autenrieth Georg 1984 Homeric Dictionary Duckworth Press p 330 ISBN 0 7156 1773 7 ἑlkexitwn in Liddell and Scott Charioteer of Delphi Museum of Antiquities Delphi Usask ca Retrieved 2018 04 19 Pomeroy 1994 p 36 Pomeroy 2002 p 134 Pomeroy 2002 p 31Sources EditPomeroy Sarah B 1994 Goddesses Whores Wives and Slaves Women in Classical Antiquity London Pimlico ISBN 978 0 712 66054 9 Pomeroy Sarah 2002 Spartan Women Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 0 195 13067 7 Chiton Encyclopaedia Britannica Garland Robert 2008 Ancient Greece Everyday Life in the Birthplace of Western Civilization New York Sterling Press ISBN 978 1 4549 0908 8 Radicke Jan 2022 Roman Women s Dress Berlin De Gruyter ISBN 978 3 11 071155 4External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chiton Greek Dress Greek clothes French Pdf Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chiton garment amp oldid 1120716749, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
