Ahhh, linen. It is cd downloads recording software beautiful, versatile, durable and luxurious. It is no wonder that the cd downloads recording software Ancient Egyptians, rich and poor alike, prized it above all other fabrics. The hot climate of Egypt made lightweight clothing mandatory and cd downloads recording software linen offered the perfect solution. The flax could be woven into a cd downloads recording software fine weave that kept the wearer cool, a must in the cd downloads recording software hot Saharan desert. Egyptian weavers were skilled at their craft. They were able to cd downloads recording software produce linen cloth that was so sheer and delicate it was almost like gauze.

In stark contrast to cd downloads recording software the elaborate Egyptian costumes worn by Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, Egyptian fashion was actually amazingly simple. It changed very little through 3,000 years of rule. The few new styles that cd downloads recording software were introduced were simply worn alongside existing dress. The same basic styles were worn by most Egyptians. The quality of the cd downloads recording software fabric reflected social position; the finest linen, woven with gold threads was worn by the cd downloads recording software Pharaoh. It is said that Cleopatra VII, who possessed a legendary wardrobe, wore linen dresses that cd downloads recording software were woven with gold. Slaves and commoners, on the other hand, wore loincloths made from cd downloads recording software coarse linen or leather.

Until the Eighteenth Dynasty (New Kingdom), most Egyptian women wore the cd downloads recording software kalasiris, a simple linen sheath that usually fell from below the cd downloads recording software breasts to just above the ankles. It could be held up by shoulder straps or cd downloads recording software sleeves.

The kalasiris is cd downloads recording software traditionally depicted in paintings as a very tight, form fitting garment, but some dispute has cd downloads recording software been raised about how accurate those depictions are. According to cd downloads recording software some archaeologists, in reality, the kalasiris was probably more loose and cd downloads recording software flowing.

This not only would have cd downloads recording software allowed for greater ease of movement but would have kept Egyptian women cooler in the cd downloads recording software hot climate. Others say that there is no reason to cd downloads recording software assume the paintings are inaccurate and that the kalasiris was probably as tight fitting and cd downloads recording software quite possibly as sheer as the tomb paintings illustrate. Surviving pieces show the cd downloads recording software kalasiris was essentially a length of linen sewn down one side to cd downloads recording software create a tube. A shawl could be worn to protect the cd downloads recording software skin from the sun or on cooler winter nights for cd downloads recording software warmth. During the Eighteenth Dynasty, the wives of the nobility and cd downloads recording software the pharaoh, such as Nefertiti, the wife of Akhenaton, are cd downloads recording software depicted in new, more elaborate fashions. The new garments were long, flowing robes of linen so fine that cd downloads recording software it was almost transparent and covered in dainty accordion pleats. The kalasiris was sometimes worn underneath these robes, but sometimes the cd downloads recording software robe was worn by itself.

The basic staple of men’s clothing was a linen kilt called a schenti. Much like the women’s kalasiris, the cd downloads recording software schenti kept the same basic shape for 3,000 years. The schenti was a cd downloads recording software rectangle of knee length linen cloth that wrapped around the waist and cd downloads recording software fastened in the front by overlapping and tucking the ends. Like women’s garments, paintings depict more elaborate men’s dress during the cd downloads recording software New Kingdom. This new costume consisted of a pleated schenti and cd downloads recording software a long, sheer, pleated robe. Another option was made up of the cd downloads recording software schenti, a transparent overskirt and a collarless shirt with wide, pleated sleeves.

Most Egyptians wore white linen clothing for cd downloads recording software functional as well as symbolic reasons. For the Egyptians, white symbolized happiness, so they were content to cd downloads recording software wear clothing of this color. Though the Egyptians did develop methods of dying linen different colors, it cd downloads recording software was a difficult process because linen did not readily absorb the cd downloads recording software natural dyes. For this reason, most clothing was made from bleached linen.

Linen is cd downloads recording software so durable and the Egyptian climate is so wonderful for preservation that cd downloads recording software quite a lot of clothing from Ancient Egypt has been discovered. Sir William Flinders Petrie discovered the cd downloads recording software oldest surviving dress in the world in a First Dynasty tomb at Tarkhan. It is cd downloads recording software 5,000 years old! It is cd downloads recording software made of intricately pleated linen and gives some example of the cd downloads recording software fine workmanship of Egyptian weavers. The dress is now on display at the cd downloads recording software Petrie Museum in London.

The Ancient Egyptians were masters at creating beautiful garments that cd downloads recording software have literally stood the test of time. When you start choosing items to cd downloads recording software add to your summer wardrobe, consider adding a few more linen pieces. After all, with proper care (and just the right conditions) those pieces could last 5,000 years!