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- CURONIAN COSTUMES OF THE 1ST TO 4TH CENTURIES
The Curonians were a Baltic tribe, who lived along the narrow Lithuanian and Latvian seaside belt from days of old. Linguist Kazimieras Būga traces the origins of this word to words describing the small and impoverished trees of the area. In spite of this, the area was densely inhabited and, judging by the abundance of archaeological finds, thriving.
The Northward neighbours of the Curonians were the Livonians, to the East there were the Semigallians and Samogitians, to the South were the Skalvians and Prussians, and to the South was the endless Vistula Lagoon – the food source for those living along her shore. The Curonians not only fished, but searched the water for amber, which they were then able to trade for foreign goods, the foremost of which were brass and silver, from which they made their own distinctive jewellery. The unique shapes and forms of these decorations influenced the taste of their land-locked neighbouring tribes as well.
They were a rich and prosperous tribe, who sailed the seas unhindered and divided their influence with the inhabitants of the Western coast of the Baltic sea. The Curonians competed and conflicted with these inhabitants, but they preferred trade and diplomatic unification against common enemies.
Eight costumes were created (four men’s and four women’s) based on the archaeological materials of Western Lithuania. The costumes reflect the apparel of the 1st to 4th centuries, the 5th to 8th centuries, the 9th to 12 centuries, and the 13th to 14th centuries respectively.
Analysing remnants of archaeological textiles, it was possible to determine weaving and sash-making techniques, as well as the colour and texture of the cloth. Jewellery-pieces, leather accessories, tools, and weapons were reconstructed using models of archaeological finds (these items were placed together with the body during burial ceremonies). Some decorations and accessories were unique to the Lithuanian seaside region, in spite of certain stylistic similarities to many other places in Lithuania.
The clothing was created taking into account not only the archaeological material found in Lithuania, but also European iconography, which sometimes suggested a certain style or cut as well as showing the characteristics of certain pre-historical time periods and the developm1went of clothing over time.
It would be appropriate to mention here that archaeological and historical costume re-creation is considered experimental from an academic point of view, and in some cases, conditional. It would therefore be unfitting to view these creations as an indisputable fact and finished process. The future discovery of new information, or a new practical application of individual parts and their integration into the whole, can correct the cut of an item of clothing, and with it, the image of the fashion of a particular time period.
- Measurements: 28" x12" (70x30 cm)
Picture height 23" (57 cm), month height 5" (13 cm)
In Lithuanian and English
- Vilnius, Lithuania
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