Summary: Brats
Key dates:
The brat was a colourful, versatile and warm rectangular shaped piece of woollen cloth which was worn as a type of shawl. The colours were important and purple, crimson and green were popular. There is also reference to blue, black, yellow, speckled, variegated and striped. The poorer classes wore brats which were grey or dull coloured and these were worn by many as everyday wear. The fancier ones had fringes, embroidery, appliqué or woven braid in contrasting wool, linen, gold, silver or bronze threads.
The length, colour and quality of the brat indicated your status. The wealthiest owned brats which could be wound round them as many as five times, or left to trail along the ground after them if they were standing up in their chariots.
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