Skourene clothing

From Almeopedia

Fabric: The usual native cloths are linen (Old Skourene reḍim) and hemp (naşgu); cotton was imported from Jeor, and leather and wool were widely used.

The clothes shown are typical of mature Old Skourene culture, around 800 Z.E. The Skourenes loved novelty, and Jeori and Axunemi clothing were imported and imitated.

Skourene culture was notable for equality between the sexes (though men were the usual rulers); but the Skourenes, like cranky ’60s conservatives, believed male and female clothing should look distinct, and should modestly cover the body. (Some bold urbanites, however, wore Axunemi blouses that bared the breasts.)

Prototypical clothing was a dress (dega, from ‘wrap’) for women and a poncho (rena, from ‘fold over’) for men.

Notables

(Skouras did not have a nobility; rather it was governed by clans, bsopa. Generally the leaders of the most important clans formed the government.)

The woman’s linen dega is long, soft, and closely fitted; underneath she wears a smaller cotton deṭiga or underdress. On her head she wears a boldega (a headdress or scarf).

The man wears a thick woolen rena; sewing the sides together was optional but was considered to create a more elegant line. He wears a cotton shirt (mirema, from ‘go around’) and loose cotton trousers (diuma, from ‘long’); his fancy headdress (also boldega) indicates that he is a person of some importance, perhaps head of a bsepa. Shaving the beard (but not necessarily the moustache) was another indicator of wealth.

Both wear shoes (doga), fine patterned fabrics, and plenty of jewelry— the Skourenes generally liked to show off their wealth.

Peasants

The woman’s dega is hemp, though in some regions wool or even leather was used. She too might have a deṭiga, saving wear and tear on the better-quality outer dress. Her headdress is wrapped over the shoulders. Covering the hair was expected after marriage.

The man’s outfit is similar to the notable’s, but his hemp poncho isn’t fastened at the sides, and he wears only the simplest of headbands.

Soldier

The soldier wears an iron and bronze helmet (ungdera) and greaves (gangdora) as well as a scaled leather jacket (gdera ‘protector’). The shoulders have bronze plates attached; officers might have banded metal gdora. Underneath he wears mirema and diuma.

The animation in the Skourene Historical Atlas shows— somewhat schematically— an early form of gdera.