Bras and Culture in Early Civilizations

Who wore them, who didn’t, and what they thought about the whole darn thing.

Boobs, melons, tits, tata’s — oh the names mankind have come up with for a woman's breasts. We pad them, cram them, and lift them into uncomfortable positions because — well why do we do it? Historically and culturally speaking, has everyone had the same preoccupation with them as the modern world? Janis Cox and Jessica Archuleta came up with the question, so I went searching for an answer. Let’s go way back to the B.Cs and see what we can find.

Welcome to Greece — Please leave your Bra at the door

Minoans and Mycenaeans were two early civilizations that took up residence in Greece. The Minoans (2000 BC- 1400 BC) took a fancy for the islands, Crete in particular, and developed a pretty complex culture. They also took their fashion seriously, with garments that were actually cut and sewn to fit the shape of the body. In fact, ladies’ fashions were very similar to French fashion in the 1800s. They liked to actuate the breast and hips with a teeny tiny waist in the middle. There was one thing, however, that would have sent a Victorian lady for her smelling salts — the mastoeides.

Mastoeides were made out of linen or soft leather and supported the breasts from underneath. This was kind of like an ancient pushup bra, only the breasts were pushed entirely out of the clothing, leaving them totally exposed. The…