What Did People Wear at Myos Hormos? Evidence for Clothes from the Textile Finds

The site of Myos Hormos on Egypt's Red Sea coast was an important port involved in the trade to India from the 1st-3rd centuries. Its population consisted of residents and visitors involved in selling, buying, guarding and transporting the precious trade goods, as well as taking part in associated activities to support this trade such as ship repair and provisioning. Its population reflected the extensive trade and transport connections that linked the port to India, the Nile Valley, the east coast of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and beyond. The arid conditions and deep rubbish dumps meant there was exceptional preservation of all organic finds including textiles, and these textiles reflect the range of people and activities that went on at the site. This paper presents the fragments of clothes that were left behind in the rubbish dumps at Myos Hormos, which give a valuable insight into the range of garments that people wore.