Etruscan Dress

Larissa Bonfante is a professor of classics at New York University. She is the author of Etruscan Mirrors and Etruscan Life and Afterlife.

• Contents:Introduction Chronological Table of Greek and Etruscan Dress1. Fabrics and Patterns 2. Perizoma and Belts 3. Chiton and Tunic 4. Mantles 5. Shoes 6. Hats, Hair Styles, and Beards 7. Foreign Influences and Local Styles Appedix I: Strange Costumes and Special Problems Appendix II: Vocabulary

Perhaps the greatest contribution of this book is its comparisons of Etruscan dress to Greek and Near Eastern, especially Cypriote, antecedents. Likewise, her presentations of the contrasts between Greek and Etruscan, as well as between Roman and Etruscan dress, neatly pinpoints and summarizes the stylistic differences. American Journal of Archaeology Highlights include judiciously selected illustrations, a superb, up-to-date bibliography, and a remarkably concise, informative chronological table of Greek and Etruscan dress. Library Journal A fine introduction to a very complex area which has received too little attention in the past. The material is rich and varied; the argument is learned, intricate, and wide ranging... This is a major work of scholarship, and well deserves a place among the indispensable works in English on Etruscan topics. Archaeological News This is still the only book on its subject... Bonfante's encyclopedic knowledge and enthusiasms make the Etruscans accessible to anyone who wants to find out what they were like. -- David Ridgway Times Higher Education Supplement 2004 Essential for any teacher or student interested in the Etruscans. For students, moreover, it serves as a model on how to 'read' archaeological finds of fabric and representations of garments in order to elicit valuable insights into Etruscan culture. -- Judith Lynn Sebesta New England Classical Journal 2004 Bonfante's new bibliography is useful and shows clearly that new generations of scholars are active in the field of textile and dress studies. -- L. B. van der Meer BABesch 2006