Figure 1.- |
|
HBC has some limited information about underweat in the ancient world. Much of the information concerns men rather than boys. We are thus less certain about the underwear, if any, worn by boys. Boys in warmer climates often wore very little clothing at all, let alone underwear. We have noted some very basic information. Underwear was worn in some ancient civilizations, but not all. A factor here was social class.
Archeologists have found indications of leather loin cloths being worn by pre-historic man anout 5,000 BC. They may have been worn as underwear, especially in colder climates. The concept of underwear is somwhat unclear when the loin cloth was worn as the only garment in warm weather. It apparently was also worn in colder weather under animal skins and other primitive clothing. Childern were less likely to wear loin cloths or any clothing, except in cold weather.
The ancient Egyptians did wear undergarments. Affluent Egyptians wore an undergarment beneath a kilt-like skirt garment of varying height. Basic garments seem remarably unchanged over centuries. Both undergarments and kilt were made of linnen. The mummies found in Egyptian tombs provide examples. The pharaohs were burried with changes of clothes including the under garments for use in the after life. These actual surviving garments give a very detailed idea of how the upper class dressed. The dress of common people is less perfectly understood, although surviving tomb decorations provide some indication.
The Ancient Greeks did not wear tailored garments. The basic Greek garment was the chiton which was a an oblong cloth made of wool. It was a substantial measure of cloth, which was wrapped around the body, covering a person from the neck to the knees. The left side of the chiton was secured by a fibulae--a pin or brooch. The chiton was also secured by a girdle worn around. This allowed the wearer to vary the height of the bottom hem. Younger adults who led more active lives might wear it higher while older men might wear it lower. In inclement weather the himation, an outer cloak was worn. Slaves were dressed more simply, especially those employed in mannual labor. They often only loin cloths. The ancient Greeks did not wear any garments under their chiton. Children in warm weather often went naked.
The principal Roman garment was the toga. Romans also wore tunics. There was no distinctive slave dress in Rome, in part because it was considered dangerous for slaves to realize how numerous they were. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans did wear under garments. Roman men wore the subligaculum which apparently varied over time. It has been described as both shorts and a loin cloth. While there are references to this garment, less common are detailed descriptions of it. We are unsure about boys. It is unlikely that there were destinctive undergarments for children. What we do not known is how commonly children wore undergarments and how this varied by age.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main underwear chronology page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]