| ient Mesopotamians or Sumerians were the people | | | | fringed at the edges and had tassels. A Candys or |
| who established the world’s first civilization. | | | | cape was worn around the shoulders or the waist. |
| They made numerous contributions to our present | | | | Sumerian clothing has men wearing a skirt called. This |
| day modern world. Besides creating a city-state, | | | | was several layers of sheepskin with pointed edges |
| writing system, water clock, wheel, the sailboat; they | | | | tied with rolled fabric as a belt. All priests, kings or |
| had also created the twelve month calendar based | | | | high officials wore these skirts as apparent through |
| on lunar cycles. | | | | scriptures and sculptures of the era. The Sumerians |
| The Sumerian clothing was made of natural resources | | | | were very good at working with leather like all other |
| available to them. They could raise sheep and the | | | | of their creations and inventions. Metal ornaments |
| flax plant so mostly clothes were made of wool and | | | | were pressed into leather and painted into many |
| flax stem. The clothes were heavier or coarser | | | | colors to make shorter skirts for soldiers or the |
| depending on whether it was the summer or the | | | | working men. Even helmets and capes were made in |
| winter season. Men would remain bare-chested and | | | | this fashion. |
| wore skirts that could be tied at the waist. Women | | | | The making of Sumerian clothing involved a number |
| usually wore gowns covering them from the | | | | of designs and motifs on their clothes and around |
| shoulders to their ankles. The right arm and shoulder | | | | their homes which are still used in sewing! Step |
| would be left uncovered. The style of clothing would | | | | motifs, honeycomb pine comb, concentric circles and |
| be the same for the poor and the rich; the fabric | | | | animal prints were some of their popular motifs. They |
| used for the wealthier Sumerians would be expensive | | | | wee also the first to wear tassels and fringes on |
| and luxurious. Wealthy women and princesses’ | | | | their clothes. Women wore a rectangular piece of |
| clothing would be bright and colorful. | | | | fabric with attractive patterns. This had a fringe along |
| The first Sumerian clothing consisted of sheepskin. | | | | one edge and was wound around the body; this |
| This was because sheep was the most domesticated | | | | clothing was adorned for thousands of years by both |
| animal with the Sumerians, the first clothes were | | | | men and women. |
| sheepskin worn furry side inside. Later, they learned | | | | Modern designers have adapted the Sumerian ancient |
| the art of weaving and could weave a herringbone | | | | clothing impressively. Fringes, tassels and motifs have |
| pattern on the loom from the start! In ancient | | | | been reproduced on evening gowns successfully. |
| Sumerian clothing everybody in Mesopotamia wore | | | | People would do anything to steal a good Sumerian |
| tunics; some were worn all the way down to the | | | | coat ignoring the death penalty it invited! We |
| ankles. Wealthier people wound a rectangular cloth | | | | thankfully don’t have to go to such extremes |
| with fringes over the tunic. Sometimes it was also | | | | to own a beautiful garment done in Sumerian tastes! |