DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1021#0212
162 THE MYCENAEAN AGE
to the peasant. On the great Warrior Vase from Mycenae
the new garment is excellently shown. It is worn alike by
the six warriors we see sallying forth to battle and by the
four in actual combat on the other side of the amphora
(Plate XVIII.). The chiton is partly covered by a coat of mail
{thorax)', but we see the long sleeves reaching to the wrists,
and the fringed extremities falling below the hips and
recalling the tasseled chiton of Homer.1 Again, in a wall-
painting found at Mycenae in 1892, we have a man wear-
ing a pale-yellow chiton, but with very short sleeves (Fig.
15), — a form repeated in the case of the helmeted warrior
at the bottom of the Siege Scene, and in other instances,
so that this would seem to be the prevailing fashion.
The warriors of the vase, again, wear something like
sandals on their feet, .and greaves of leather or
cloth strapped about the knees and ankles. Such
greaves or leggings were worn in peace as well as war.
Homer makes old Laertes wear them at his farm-work :
" He was clothed in a filthy chiton, with clouted leggings
of ox-hide bound about his knees, against the scratches of
the thorns; and long sleeves (or mittens) over his hands, by
reason of the brambles j and on his head he wore a goatskin
cap."2 To this day the Greek rustics go " well-greaved "
(evxvrifiiheg).
The apron, or the chiton alone, was of course inadequate
as an all-the-year-round dress for any but the hardiest. A
necessary complement of either was the chlaina,
or thick woolen cloak, reaching to the knees or
even to the ankles and doubtless worn habitually by the
elders and in winter at least by the young men. It ap-
pears on the two old men just behind the bowmen on the
1 TepjUttfeeTa X'^Swa, Od. xix. 242.
2 Odyssey, xxiv. 227 ff.
to the peasant. On the great Warrior Vase from Mycenae
the new garment is excellently shown. It is worn alike by
the six warriors we see sallying forth to battle and by the
four in actual combat on the other side of the amphora
(Plate XVIII.). The chiton is partly covered by a coat of mail
{thorax)', but we see the long sleeves reaching to the wrists,
and the fringed extremities falling below the hips and
recalling the tasseled chiton of Homer.1 Again, in a wall-
painting found at Mycenae in 1892, we have a man wear-
ing a pale-yellow chiton, but with very short sleeves (Fig.
15), — a form repeated in the case of the helmeted warrior
at the bottom of the Siege Scene, and in other instances,
so that this would seem to be the prevailing fashion.
The warriors of the vase, again, wear something like
sandals on their feet, .and greaves of leather or
cloth strapped about the knees and ankles. Such
greaves or leggings were worn in peace as well as war.
Homer makes old Laertes wear them at his farm-work :
" He was clothed in a filthy chiton, with clouted leggings
of ox-hide bound about his knees, against the scratches of
the thorns; and long sleeves (or mittens) over his hands, by
reason of the brambles j and on his head he wore a goatskin
cap."2 To this day the Greek rustics go " well-greaved "
(evxvrifiiheg).
The apron, or the chiton alone, was of course inadequate
as an all-the-year-round dress for any but the hardiest. A
necessary complement of either was the chlaina,
or thick woolen cloak, reaching to the knees or
even to the ankles and doubtless worn habitually by the
elders and in winter at least by the young men. It ap-
pears on the two old men just behind the bowmen on the
1 TepjUttfeeTa X'^Swa, Od. xix. 242.
2 Odyssey, xxiv. 227 ff.