History of Bifurcated Garments

[Jeremiah]

Does anyone know when bifurcated garments as outerwear first came on the scene?

[GMan]

Well in Western culture we have the Greeks and Romans had tunics, and before that in the Mid East robes were pretty prevalent. I dare say that the bifurcated garments came pretty late in the history of mankind.

I know that others here on the board could give a better and more substantial answer than what I gave, and also enlighten me.

[Zardoz]

Jeremiah, try this link;

www.kiltday.com

[Wulfestieg]

Well, much as I like Kilt Day and all, their facts are a bit off. Even in the time of Caesar, the Celts were wearing pants. In fact, their usage of bifurcated garments was one of the things that caused the Romans to call them barbarians. So in the 1st centuryd BC, at least, we have bifurcated garments in common use. I believe that Aristophanes makes reference to the 'barbaroi' wearing pants in a couple of his comedies (late 5th/early 4th century BC), but I'd have to double check that, since I'm a Romano-Celtic archaeologist, not a Hellenist.

In any case, off the top of my head, I can't think of an example predating the Celts that there is literary/archaeological evidence, but I would happily defer to someone who can find that evidence.

[Yaish]

I'm not sure they would be 'pants'. Leggings certainly, though usually they were two separate pieces, one attached to each leg. I'd guess that many variations on that existed throughout cultures and history. Surely someone probably made a pair of leggings that were connected via a waist piece.

[Pleater]

I think one at least of the 'bog bodies' was wearing a woven trouserish garment, with joined at the top legs and even foot coverings included.

They are difficult to date, though, as the process of preservation introduces carbon from the bog into the tissues.