EGYPTIAN TEXTILES: 4 (SHIRE EGYPTOLOGY)

´she who was irch in fine lineen, who loved clothes, lies in the cast-off garment of yesterday.´ so ends an ancient egyptian funeral lament, and indeed these textiles have frequently become the neglected cast-off rags of today, lying undiscovered in museum basements. this book attempts to rectify the situation by assessing the archaeological importance of textiles, describing and illustrating recently ´rediscovered´ garments, and translating little known related texts. a survey of the nature and quality of woven fabrics and dyeing processes is followed by a techanical description of spinning and weaving. representations of costume on reliefs and statuary are viewed chronologically, and the often divergent extant garments are then described. a complete chapter is devoted to the wardrobes of tutankhamun and other pharaohs. the egyptian laundry service is discussed: methods of washing and pleating, laundry lists and marks, and the washermen´s complaints. sewing and darning equipment and methods, with an inventory of embroidery stitches and dressmaking techniques, are described for the first time. a conclusion is reached on dress as a status symbol in ancient egypt by a survey of garment prices and of all types of specific dress, or undress, from that vizier to prostitute.