Greek Cults and Their Sacred Laws on Dress-code: The Laws of Greek Sanctuaries for Hairstyles, Jewelry, Make-up, Belts, and Shoes

Numerous sacred laws on dress-code dating to the Hellenistic, Roman, and Imperial periods determined the appropriate hairstyles, jewelry, adornment, and shoes for worshippers. Some of the sacred laws regulated the dress-codes for cultic officials who were less concerned by prohibitions than worshippers. The sacred laws aimed to restrict vanity, the display of personal wealth, and to prevent what was perceived as impure. This paper contributes a synthesis of sacred laws on dress-code, showing similarities and differences among sanctuaries and examples where Greek artistic representations are at odds with the laws.