For this period, a Cretan costume was created inspired by the Snake Goddess, originating from the Palace of Knossos around 1600 B.C. With the discovery of this palace, a great deal of information about clothing from the second millennium of this civilization was revealed. We explored all of this in the seminar “The Awakening of Man to Civilization: Furniture, Textiles and Clothing.”
At ÁBBATTE, in order to illustrate the different periods covered in our seminars, scaled costumes (1:2) have been created for each era. The Cretan costume features a short jacket made from linen woven at ÁBBATTE and a sash dyed with turmeric. It highlights how the study of the elegance of the line is one of Crete’s defining characteristics, alongside the exposed bust. The ornamentation of the skirt is, in itself, one of the most fascinating aspects. The skirt is made of linen fabric and cut into pleated flounces with embroidered geometric elements, waves, and decorative trims. Lastly, the pampanilla is a piece worn at the waist, often arranged as a short skirt or apron.
We begin with Crete, as it marks the starting point of all Aegean industries and arts. A key feature of this costume is the slenderness of the waist, accentuated by belts that are open at the front. On the other hand, the dyes and colorants of the time were mostly plant-based, along with purple dye extracted from shells, large deposits of which have been found in Eastern Crete. This industry already had a long history by the Middle Minoan period and made it possible to dye beautiful fabrics in three or four colors, with varied patterns, as seen in mural paintings and majolica.
The process of creating the costumes is slow, meticulous, and demands an in-depth study of the era and daily life.
Text: María Olmos Mochales
Photos: Pablo Gómez-Ogando