Happenings 03
COLLECTIONS / Best of Museum

Chiton (tunic)

Woollen, dyed red, tunic with sleeves. It is decorated in the area around the neck and partially in the area of the shoulders. The decoration is composed of a band, in which white geometric shapes are shown against a black background, while on the cuffs of the sleeves a band has white lozenge motifs, which are also shown against a black background. The garment, at the height of the knees, is adorned with two patches in circle shape.

Tunics were the most popular garment in the area of the Eastern Mediterranean in late antiquity and were made of linen or wool. Garments until the Early Christian era had no sewing and were worn with the help of belts, buckles and pins. Cutting and sewing are practices which experienced wider spread in the Mediterranean area after the 7th century.

Code

ΣΔ 1/20

Type

Tunic

Chronology

5th-7th c.

Dimensions

Height 117 cm; width 100 cm

Material of Construction

Wool

Origin

Egypt (long term loan of the Benaki Museum)