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