Abelt without a buckle, especially if a cord or rope, is called agirdle in various contexts, especially historical ones, where girdles were a very common part of everyday clothing from antiquity until perhaps the 15th century, especially for women. Most girdles were practical pieces of costume to hold other pieces in place, but some were loose and essentially for decoration. Among the elite these might include precious metals and jewels.
Today, girdles are part of Christian liturgicalvestments, and the word is used in other contexts, such as American sports (for what is really a kind of underwear).
Thegirdle as an undergarment or abbreviatedcorset around the waist is a different, essentially 20th-century, concept, but from around 1895 there was a fashion for "girdles" as a separate section of a fashionable dress, worn just above the waist on top of the main dress. It was typically up to about eight inches high, and often terminated in a "V" shape. It might be the same colour as the main dress or not. It differs from the earlierSwiss waist of the mid-19th century by not having lacing or boning.
The men among the Greeks and Romans wore the girdle upon the loins, and it served them to confine thetunic, and hold the purse, instead of pockets, which were unknown; girls and women wore it under the bosom. TheStrophium,Taenia, orMitra occurs in many figures. In the small bronze Pallas of the Villa Albani, and in figures on the Hamilton Vases, are threecordons with a knot, detached from two ends of the girdle, which is fixed under the bosom. This girdle forms under the breast a knot of ribbon, sometimes in the form of a rose, as occur on the two handsomest daughters ofNiobe. Upon the youngest the ends of the girdle pass over the shoulders, and upon the back, as they do upon fourCaryatides found at Monte Portio. This part of the dress the ancients called, at least in the time of Isidore,Succinctorium orBracile.
The girdle was omitted by both sexes in mourning. Often when the tunic was very long, and would otherwise be entangled by the feet, it was drawn over the girdle in such a way as to conceal the latter entirely underneath its folds. It is not uncommon to see two girdles of different widths worn together, one very high up, the other very low down, so as to form between the two in the tunic, a puckered interval; but this fashion was mostly applied to short tunics. The tunic of the Greek males was almost always confined by a girdle.
Among theAnglo-Saxons, it was used by both sexes; by the men to confine their tunic, and support the sword. Some were richly embroidered, and of white leather. A leather strap was chiefly worn bymonks.[1] Metal girdles were manufactured bygirdlers.
As a Christianliturgicalvestment, the girdle is a long, rope-like cord tied around the waist over thealb orcassock.The Parson's Handbook describes the girdle as being made "generally of white linen rope, and may have a tassel at each end. About 12 ft. 6 in. long is a very convenient size if it is used double, one end being then turned into a noose and the tasselled ends slipped through. The girdle, however, may be coloured."[2] They are used to close acassock inChristian denominations, including theAnglican Communion,Catholic Church,Methodist Church andLutheran Church.[3]
Christian monastics would often hang religious texts, such as theBible orBreviary, from their girdles and these became known asgirdle books. In addition, they would often knot the ends of the girdle thrice, in order to represent the "vows ofpoverty, chastity, and obedience."[4] As such, within the Christian Church, the girdle, in some contexts, represents chastity and within theHebrew Bible, "Proverbs 31 provides biblical reference to the ancient practice of girdle making by virtuous chaste women".[5] In theNew Testament, "Christ referred to the girdle as a symbol of preparation and readiness for service (Luke 12:35–38)":[4]
Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.
Saint Paul, inEphesians 6:14 also references the term, stating "Stand therefore, first fastening round you the girdle of truth and putting on the breastplate of uprightness", further buttressing the concept of the girdle as asymbol of readiness.[6] Many Christian clergy, such as Anglican priests and Methodist ministers, use the followingprayer when wearing the girdle:
Gird me, O Lord, with the girdle of purity, and quench in me the fire ofconcupiscence that the grace oftemperance and chastity may abide in me.[4]
By the 8th century AD, the girdle became established as aliturgical vestment "in the strict sense of the word."[7] In 800 AD, the girdle began to be worn by Christiandeacons in theEastern Church.[8]
Although the general word "cincture" is sometimes used as a synonym for the girdle, liturgical manuals distinguish between the two, as the "girdle is a long cord or rope while the cincture is a widesash. Generally an alb is closed with a girdle, an Anglican-style double-breasted cassock is closed with a cincture, and a Roman cassock is closed with either one."[3]
In the medieval and early modern period there are also accounts of girdles being used as a mnemonic. These would be tied or decorated with bead so that, like a rosary, each notch would remind the wearer of a particular psalm or book.[9] The girdle, in the 8th or 9th century, was said to resemble an ancientLevitical Jewish vestment, and in that era, was not visible.
The girdle, for men, symbolizes preparation and readiness to serve, and for women, represents chastity and protection;[4] it was also worn bylaypersons in theMiddle Ages, as attested in literature. For example, thehagiographical account ofSaint George and the Dragon mentions the evildoer being tamed with thesign of the cross and a girdle handed toSaint George by avirgin.[10]
Agartel is a belt worn by Jewish males, predominantly (but not exclusively)Hasidim, duringprayer. "Gartel" isYiddish for "belt" and is cognate with the English word "girdle". Gartels are generally very modest in appearance. Most are black, but some gartels are white. Hasidic custom requires that there be a physical divide between the heart and the genitalia during any mention of God's name. It is commonly explained that separating the upper and lower parts of the body manifests a control of the animal instincts of the person by the distinctly human intellect.
In theVajrayanaiconography of theHevajra Tantra, the 'girdle' (Tib.: ske rags), one of the 'Five Bone Ornaments' (aṣṭhiamudrā) symbolizesAmoghasiddhi and the 'accomplishing pristine awareness' (Kṛty-anuṣṭhāna-jñāna), one of the 'Five Wisdoms' (pañca-jñāna).[11] The iconography of the girdle (or bone apron and belt[12]) in Vajrayana iconography developed from one of the items of vestment adorning theMahasiddha of the charnel grounds.
Beer (1999: p. 318) describes the bone girdle as the 'netted bone apron and belt' as vesture of theDakinis andHeruka of theCham Dance and Gar Dance ofTibetan Buddhism sacred ritual dance performances:
The bone ornaments worn in these ritual dances are exquisitely carved – especially the netted bone apron and belt, which are commonly adorned with intricately carved images of dakinis.[12]
Girdles are often portrayed as magical, giving power and strength if worn by men, and protection if worn by women. Several scriptures in theBible make use of the girdle as a symbol for readiness and preparation.
InGreek mythology, both men and women were described as wearing girdles.Hephaestus gifted his wifeAphrodite with agirdle that made the wearer irresistible to others, whichHera used to seduceZeus in theIliad.[13] For his ninthlabor,Heracles was sent to obtain the girdle ofHippolyta, queen of theAmazons. In theOdyssey,Leucothea givesOdysseus a girdle-like "veil" that allows him to swim for three days straight.[14]
The Babylonian goddessIshtar wore a girdle, which, when it was removed, rendered theuniverse barren. The Norse godThor's girdleMegingjörð doubled his strength.[13]
Later, for women, the girdle became a sign ofvirginity, and was often considered to have magical properties. Monsters and all types of evil are recorded as being subdued by girdles in literature, a famous one being the dragon slain bySaint George. Marriage ceremonies continued this tradition of girdles symbolizing virginity by having the husband take the wife's girdle, andprostitutes were forbidden to wear them by law in historic France. Often in literature, women are portrayed as safe from sexual or other attack when wearing a girdle, but suddenly vulnerable if it is missing or stolen.[13]
Non-clothing uses in literature includeTolkien's "Girdle of Melian", a magical, protective "wall" surrounding an elven kingdom.
InAmerican football, what is called a girdle is worn under the football player's pants to keep the hip, thigh, and tailbone pads in place, making the process of putting on the tight football pants easier. Older girdles resembledchaps, in that they covered only the front of the leg with pads, that snapped on. Modern girdles are essentially a tight pair ofcompression shorts with pockets for the pads. The girdle was also used in theMesoamerican ballgame and is used in hockey (National Hockey League).
Some designs are made specifically for use in the sport ofringette.
Generally an alb is closed with a girdle, an Anglican-style double-breasted cassock is closed with a cincture, and a Roman cassock is closed with either one.
Christ referred to the girdle as a symbol of preparation and readiness for service (Luke 12:35-38). St. Paul referred to it as a symbol of truth (Ephesians 6:14). The girdle of the monastic habit, knotted three times at the ends, symbolizes the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The girdle became a Christian symbol of chastity, possibly derived from the ancient Jewish custom of women wearing ornate girdles symbolic of their virtue (Proverbs 31). Some traditional clergy still use an old vesting prayer when putting on the girdle which says, "Gird me, O Lord, with the girdle of purity, and quench in me the fire of concupiscence that the grace of temperance and chastity may abide in me."
It has been said that it was not till the 8th century that we meet with the girdle as an ecclesiastical vestment in the strict sense of the word.
Till, in the eighth or ninth century, the idea of an intended resemblance in detail between the Christian and Levitical vestments was first broached, the Girdle, naturally was either not worn at all (with thetunica talaris it was not necessary), or, when worn, was not visible, and was thought of only as a matter of convenience. In none of the early monuments of the West before A.D. 800, is any trace of it to be seen. But in the East we have mention of a Girdle as worn by deacons, early in the eighth century.
The hero uses the power of Christianity, the Sign of the Cross, to wound the dragon. Then, in an interesting twist, he calls to the virgin to toss her girdle round the dragon's neck. Upon being leashed by the virgin's girdle, the once impressible dragon is tamed. It follows the princess like a meek puppy-dog. St. George and the princess lead the dragon back to the village where it terrifies the townspeople. St. George promises to slay the beast, but only if the townspeople convert to Christianity, which they quickly do.
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