Embodied Wearing: Clothing for Artemis in Ancient Athenian Religion

This study examines the role of clothing in the worship of Artemis in ancient Athens and its surrounding region, focusing on the sensory and embodied experience of dress in religious practice. Using the framework of Haptic Religion, which foregrounds touch-based sensory engagement, the study analyzes two primary sources: the Brauron Clothing Catalogue, a series of inscriptions from the mid-4th century BCE, and epigrams describing dedications of clothing to Artemis. The study considers the physical and sensory experience of clothes-wearing during religious rituals and the evocation of sense-memory through dedicated garments. It explores the link between clothing and coming-of-age rituals for young girls at Brauron, as well as the significance of clothing dedications for women marking transitions such as marriage and childbirth. By examining the intersection of materiality, embodiment, and religious experience, this study sheds new light on the religious practices of women and girls in ancient Athens, highlighting the central role of dress in their relationship with the goddess Artemis. The dedication of clothing in sanctuaries is shown to facilitate the creation of communal memory and the navigation of personal and social identities within the context of religious belief and practice.