Modern Misconstructions

 

As knowledge of these textile artifacts grows, it becomes increasingly apparent that many early reconstructions of garments were inaccurate. The picture shown below, from a popular pamphlet about excavations at the turn of this century in Antinoe, Egypt, shows the corpse of a woman (nicknamed "Thais" by the excavator), apparently as found in her grave. The watercolor, at right, is an ingenious reconstruction, if incorrect in its particulars, of her costume based on the badly deteriorated textiles found clothing her body.

The fragmentary textile shown below is a modern dealer's fabrication combining decorative pieces taken from a number of different garments (probably bands and stripes from tunics). The assembly of this kind of textile pastiche became a fine art during the first half of this century. Its purpose --successfully realized -- was to make the artifacts into more visually compelling collectibles. One unfortunate result of these modern creations, however, has been to obscure further the original appearances of these textiles.

 

Back to 'Reconstructing Personal Style'

Ahead to next section-'Eastern Influences'