Shendyt or Schenti was a short or nearly knee-length, wrapped loincloth or snug skirt worn especially by men in Ancient Egypt. The hip garment was made of a thin, square piece of woven linen. The garment came in slightly different variations but was typically wrapped multiple times around the waist with two ends crossed in front and fastened to a tied belt. Over time, the skirt became longer, and several could be worn on top of each other. Royalty and others of high social rank could wear pleated loincloths, either fully or partially, along with a stiffened, pyramid-shaped front piece or apron, decorated with colorful pendants in the front. Various types of loincloths were dominant until the kalasiris, a type of tunic or dress, a form-fitting garment worn by both men and women, became common around 1500 B.C., influenced from the east.
Definition
Shendyt was a male garment in the form of a short skirt that was worn by the ancient Egyptians, at least since the Old Kingdom. This little skirt was composed of a long piece of rectangular fabric made of linen in white or natural color that was wrapped around the man’s waist and fastened with a belt or sash, usually also made of fabric. There were some variations, but generally, the fabric was wrapped several times around the belly, passed between the legs, and tied in front, at hip level, and adjusted, if necessary, with a cinch.
While during the Old and Middle Kingdoms it was worn above the knees, during the New Kingdom (1550 B.C.–1069 B.C.), the Shendyt lengthened and became more sophisticated, with pleats, and for high-ranking characters, a double Shendyt with a kind of triangular apron, with pleats, which could be decorated with symbolic elements, such as cobras, and use color. As seen in the art of this period, in some cases, wealthy men wore longer, transparent skirts or tunics, over the dense Shendyt.
Countless representations of Shendyt have been found in Egyptian sculptures, paintings, or hieroglyphs since the beginning of dynastic Egyptian art, with the first known one being on the famous Narmer Palette, worn by the king himself. But not only by kings, but also by gods, nobles, or commoners. In the case of the royal Shendyt, it usually had belts with his name or his royal insignia and carried a distinctive mark that distinguished him from others, a lion’s tail, tied at the back, symbolizing his strength, as a reminder of an ancient prehistoric hunting custom.
The Shendyt were probably an evolution of the first skirts made of animal skins that were used by the early inhabitants of Egypt, which allowed them the freedom of movement for hunting. Later, other materials, such as linen, would be preferred. Members of the military also used a version of the Shendyt, as they also needed the freedom of movement that this garment provided during battle.
History
Due to the hot climate in ancient Egypt, Egyptians dressed very airy and light. In the earliest pre-dynastic depictions, men are depicted naked except for a belt around the waist and a loincloth or short skirt with thick fringes of plant material. The Narmer Palette, from around 3000 B.C., is the first known depiction where a pharaoh wears a loincloth. In ancient Egyptian art, the pharaoh is often depicted with a loincloth when offering sacrifices to the gods or in situations that required freedom of movement, such as hunting or battle. The short, smooth skirt was otherwise comfortable and practical work attire.
The ancient Egyptian civilization was generally very traditional and conservative, and clothing changed very little throughout the two thousand-year history from the Old Kingdom (around 2700–2000 B.C.) to the New Kingdom (around 1500–750 B.C.). In contrast to sewn, body-shaped jackets, tunics, and trousers in Persia, India, and China, the clothing of the ancient Egyptians, like that of the Greeks and Romans, was mostly draped around the body.
They mainly consisted of skirts and light cloaks that were tied together or held in place by belts, collars, and tassels. However, the loincloth, in various forms, remained the most important garment throughout the period, although it changed somewhat. It became more gathered over time, and also longer. Pleating emerged in Egypt’s third flowering period, the New Kingdom, around 1580-950 B.C. Important individuals could wear an ornamental pendant hanging down from the waistband in front of the loincloth. This was made of leather, embroidery, beads, and stones.
Further development and other garments
Additionally, other garments gradually became more elaborate. During the Middle Kingdom around 2065-1660 B.C., a cloak worn over the shoulders, gathered in a knot on the chest and used alongside the skirt slowly but surely developed. The attire eventually consisted of multiple garments that changed in size and draped and were worn together or layered on top of each other. This includes, for example, the kalasiris, a form-fitting, translucent tunic. The decorations also became richer and more varied. The loincloth could be short or ankle-length, and several skirts could be wrapped over each other with the shortest inside. Linen was the most common material, often woven into a fine, almost transparent fabric. Later, short loincloths were also made of cotton and heavier wool.
Most Egyptians went bareheaded, although many also wore nemes, Egyptian head coverings, or were clean-shaven with heavy, black wigs. High officials and royalty could additionally be adorned with broad, colorful shoulder collars and other accessories. Only priests and kings wore sandals made of papyrus. The rest went barefoot. Women wore long, slender, form-fitting skirts from the ankles up to the chest under the armpits and fastened with shoulder straps. Eventually, light, veil-like cloaks tied to the chest became popular.