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In ancient Sri Lanka, it was not common for women to wear an upper garment until the 14th century
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In ancient times, the royal ladies of Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka) wore pleated robes from the waist upwards. They adorned themselves with armlets, various ornaments on their ears, wrists and hair, and with necklaces. Apparently no upper garment was used by these ladies. They displayed their breasts and semi-nudity was not a social taboo. However, the ladies in waiting, lower in status to the royal ones, wore a few ornaments, waist clothes and a "thanapatiya" (firm "breast bandage").
However, the Hindu-Buddhist culture of ancient Sri Lanka underwent changes during the 14th century, when Islam made inroads into the Indian subcontinent. It was possibly this influence that helped make an upper garment part of the female dress code. Later western influences also made the women of Sri Lanka more conservative in their dress habits.
A combination of the saree and jacket (or blouse) is the dress worn by women of the country today, as this Tamil woman is wearing. |
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