ABSTRACT
For those in antiquity clothing had power in and of itself. It was a highly visual signifier, which in one glance could imply a person’s status, gender, wealth, age, and even religious or political allegiances. Furthermore, it was made by harmonising difference, a central tenet also of gift-giving, a practice that underpinned all aspects of society, establishing, maintaining, and reinforcing relationships. A gift of clothing, therefore, combined all these elements and made it the perfect metaphor for authors to demonstrate what the practice of gift-giving was trying to achieve. As historical gifts between a donor and receiver gifts of clothing worked on a fundamental level to establish a relationship between these two participants that was personal, not just because of the ideas which surround gift-giving practice, but because of the gift itself as an item of clothing, and this is an idea which lies at the heart of the examples considered here. In the ancient world, to give a gift was to create a bond between the giver and receiver, and this was a connection in which both had identifiable parts to play. Similarly, clothing created a promise between the wearer and the viewer because it seemed guaranteed to be a visual reflection of the character of the wearer; yet it was this very quality that created uncertainties that authors of every period in the ancient world exploited to varying degrees. The process of its manufacture, moreover, provided tools for vocalising ideas about social cohesion, for it was an item worn by all and made by the combination of disparate elements into a harmonious whole, an integration which was also achieved in the ancient world through the practice of gift-giving and reciprocity. For those in antiquity, therefore, gifts of clothing entailed a negotiation of identity and social concord in every transaction; and, as has been seen, these central ideas allowed participants and authors to explore further meanings when these items performed in specific contexts.
