History of Clothing

Unit - I

WEAVING AND CERAMIC (POTTERY) TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION - HISTORY OF CLOTHING

When the world originated, man was living without clothes like animals. After knowing the air, mixing the water, seeing the earth, feeling the sky, using the fire and gaining knowledge, people were ashamed and wore leaves and barks as clothes. Then they wore the skins of deer, tiger, etc., as clothes. In due course of time, when the situation changed and as a result of people's intelligence there were changes in the clothes they wore and they began to weave cotton yarn into clothes and started wearing them.

1. Evidences of Clothing in the Sangam Period

In the Sangam Period, the message of wearing foliage, dresses made of barks and girdle is found in the poems of Kurinchi Thinai. The Narikuravas were wearing dresses woven from Maral, a type of cactus and the Nilak Kodichiyar, a leaf dress made from the shoots of the Asoka tree.

Proofs

1. Natrinai (64:4)

2. Kurunthokai (24:4-5)

From the above proofs, it is understood that people were wearing dresses during the Sangam Period.

2. Sculptural Evidence

1. Some of the sculptures found at Amaravathi and Jagkaiyapet, Andhra Nadu, 200 BC - 100 AD show that men wore turbans, a pleated garment hanging down to the knee, flower-designed girdles and small stitched pieces hanging from them.

Women wore sarees that hung down to their knees. The sculptures show that they used to wear types of knots made of four-square pieces of cloth on their heads.

2. Sculptures from 100 AD-400 AD show that men of those days wear a dhoti, a top and a turban while women wear a saree on their waist and a small piece on top. A cloth is also tied on the head like a turban.

3. In some sculptures, the twisted garments are hung in two or three rows, ending to the right below the waist.

4. There is only one sculpture in which the female breasts are covered. Sculptures show women were bare-chested.

5. A few sculptures say that monks wore clothes made of tree bark, grass and fruit peel.

3. Names of Different Types of Clothing

The names of various types of clothing used by the Sangam people can be seen, from the details given in 'Pathuppattu'.

1. Leaf Dress

i. Narikurava women put bunches of mango leaves in between and wore a veil of leaves, which they placed around the bouquets.

Proof: Thirumurugu Lines 201-203

ii. Neithal women wore a leafy dress made of shoots, leaves and flo and flowers.

Proof: Pattinapalai, Line 91

2. Dhukil - Kalingam

The king was also wearing dhukil (clothes) which had been washed with mash, The queen wore a flower-designed dress so that her husband would not leave her. During separation from her husband, she wore kalingam (garment) made by dirty thread.

Proof: Nedunelvadai.145-6

From this evidence, it is clear that 'dhukil' is a type of clothing and it is also understood that 'kalingam' is another type of clothing.

3. Katchai - Katchu (Dress)

i) The Chief son (lover) of Kurunji land was wearing a finely carved girdle.

Proof: Kurunji, Line 125

ii) Sirupanartupadai tells us that Archunan wore a broad Kachai (dress) having flower designs. Proof : Sirupanatrupadai, Line 239

iii) Nalloor Naththathanar while talking about Veeman says novowing that like Archuna, Veeman was also a great warrior and wore the dress having flower designs.

Proof: Nedunelvadai

iv) Nedunalvadai says that the Queen had tied ‘vambu' (kachu) on her chest.

Proof: Nedunelvadai Lines 145-150

4. Padam (Shirt)

a) 'Padam' means shirt these days. Perumpanartuppadai says that the soldiers guarding the highways of Thondai Country wore shirts.

Proofs:  1. Nachinarkiniyar Urai, Line 69 2. Mullaipattu Thodar, Line 66

b) During the Sangam Period, 'Yavanans' traded in Tamil Nadu. During their stay here, they wore saree dress on their waist. Above their waist, they wore meipai (shirt).

Proof: Mullaipattu Lines 59-61

5. Sithar - Sitharvai

Dirty torn rags were called 'Sithar' and 'Sitharvai”.

Proof: Porunarartrupadai Line 154 & Porunarartrupadai Line 468

6. Kaazhagam

It is a type of garment, worn by priests. It is a garment woven and sent from a town called Kadaram.

7. Aruvai

It is the highest quality fine embroidered dresses. It was worn by kings and the rich.

8. Kandam

The rough cloth used to wrap around the tent like a wall was called Kandam.

Proof: Natchinarkiniyar, Mullai 44