The Umbrella

[Eleatic Guest]

Did the ancients know the umbrella (paragua)? How did they protect against themselves against rain?

[hoplite14gr]

A cloack and hood of good goat wool was protecting the Balkan farners and herders till ealy 20th century.

See the Teracota statuates of "Tanagrae" for elegant female hats.

I think I saw somewhere sun umbrela depictin of the late Hellenistic age but can´t remeber where

Kind regards

[john m roberts]

Same here. I'm sure I've seen a vase or wall depiction of Greek ladies with parasols, but I can't recall where.

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

greek:


roman:


Agrippa I, AD 37-44, AE Prutah, 17mm.



Valete,

[Ioannis]

Nice work Daniele!

[Eleatic Guest]

One stupid question ( :wink: ): Are these parasols or umbrellas/paraguas? How can we tell the difference?

And another one: Can we tell from the pics (many thanks for them!), that these umbrellas feature ribs and are collapsible, as they are today?

[Susanna]

I guess the first use was against sun...

umbrella is Latin for the shadow ;-) )

[M. Demetrius]

Greek speakers help me out, but doesn't "para-sol" mean "alongside the sun" or something to that effect? If so, then it would be something that you put alongside yourself (between you and--) the sun.

Umbra is Latin for shadow, and -ella is diminutive, so "umbrella" amounts to "little shadow", referring more to the effect of the object than the object itself.

Sounds like two different language words for the same thing. Our modern, flexed steel system is only vaguely like those straight sticked older versions, but the Japanese parasol is not unlike the appearance of the ancient ones depicted in the photos above. Figgers. Same need, same function, same sort of construction.

[Susanna]

Diminutive...you are right...my posting was too fast. :wink:

The frist pics of umbrellae I know are from ancient Mesopotamia and there it was more sunny.

[Ioannis]

David,

Rarasol derives from the old Italian word parasole (from parare to shield + sole=sun) which in turm derives from the Latin sol.

[hoplite14gr]

Susanna you are probably right.

Danielle in which museum is the pottery showing the lady with the umbrella?

Ioannis thanks for info

Kind regards

[Eleatic Guest]

One stupid question ( :wink: ): Are these parasols or umbrellas/paraguas? How can we tell the difference?

And another one: Can we tell from the pics (many thanks for them!), that these umbrellas feature ribs and are collapsible, as they are today?

Hate to become pushy (well, not really ), I need to know this.

[Eleatic Guest]

greek:


roman:


Agrippa I, AD 37-44, AE Prutah, 17mm.



Valete,

Do you know the provenance of these pics? (Following the links yields no results) I would like to read more about the subject.

[Jona Lendering]

Are these parasols or umbrellas/paraguas? How can we tell the difference?

I do not know, but the oldest representations are from Achaemenid sites and are certainly parasols. Here are two examples:

This is Xerxes, leaving his palace in Persepolis; relief made in c.475. The servants have something against flies and mosquitoes and a towel - this is not against the rain but against the sun. Incidentally, it may be noted that Xerxes' face was damaged by Macedonian soldiers.


Also from the fifth century: a satrap receiving a visitor. Monument of the Nereids, Xanthus (Turley); now in the British Museum.

This parasol was the attribute of royal power in the Persian world. It was copied by the Byzantine emperors and was later added to the papal attributes, as can be seen on this fresco from Rome's SS. Quattro Coronati.

Catholic basilicas (this is the rank of certain churches) still have a parasol somewhere.

[spyros]

In greek its called αλεξήλιο (alexylio anct / modern high greek) = keeping the sun away, or Σκιάδιο (skyadio - med, byz period) = making shadow