The Minoans were Europe’s “first great civilization” (J.A. Lobell, 2015) and interacted closely with the other Bronze Age empires of the Mediterranean. The heanos underdress, with its dramatic V-neckline and figure-flattering and decadent curved underarm seam, is a hallmark of their lavish aesthetic and sophisticated clothing production techniques. The textiles were embellished with dyes, paint, woven trims, embroidery, and beading. The Minoans wore the heanos open to the waist or tied below the bust with twisted cord ties and covered with a richly decorated wrapped kilt/skirt. The Mycenaeans wore it closed in front and covered by a triangular bolero jacket, which has the added benefit of providing breast support; they wore a matching kilt as well.
The heanos is comfortable, flatters many body shapes, and can be airy (if loose) or supportive (if tight and tied in front or worn with a jacket). You can seen it worn all 3 ways in the photo below. The simple design is beginner-friendly and the bright colors, patterns, and trims leave lots of space for creativity. Minoan goddess/priestess figures wore the bodice open, but front ties were used also and I have included notes for making the heanos comfortable (physically and socially) for a modern audience.

check out Libby’s blog post about creating her orange dress!
I based this design on the research of Dr. Bernice Jones, specifically her excellent book Ariadne’s Threads (2015). I modified the construction of the neckline and front trim, for reasons explained below.
My white heanos was constructed in April 2019 at the group Revenge of the Stitch SCA sewing competition and is based on those of the Saffron Goddess and Necklace Swinger from the Adorants fresco in Akrotiri, Thera/Santorini. I owe humongous thanks to my teammates! For more details and photos of the competition, plus my research documentation, visit my Revenge of the Stitch post.
Crocus Gatherer pose. each trim is used on the heanos and the kilt for cohesion
matching tasselsNecklace Swinger from the Adorants fresco, Akrotiri, Thera/Santorini (MInoan) Necklace Swinger pose front view with mantle matching trims and tassels on the kilt makes an outfit with a dozen colors still seem cohesive. Can you find these three trims on the heanos? cutting diagram
embroidery on the bodice onlySaffron Goddess from Adorants fresco, Akrotiri, Thera/Santorini Mary, Jynette, me, Meredith, Amy/Finnick (Amy Baska not pictured)
Awesome thanks go to Amy/Finnick, who designed and wove the trim based on Minoan frescoes and inspired me to learn to weave; Mary and Meredith, who embroidered the crocus-stamen pattern on the bodice; Amy Baska, who painted the fabrics; and my mentor Jynette, who coached me and sewed like, well, a machine!
It’s made of very light (handkerchief weight) linen because the Necklace Swinger’s garment is translucently thin and diaphanous. Accordingly, it does not have a supportive function, even after I added ties under the bust for modern modesty. It’s very comfortable.
The yellow and purple heanos were made by me. They feature handmade trim that was gifted to me. The yellow one is based on the Kneeling Woman in Field of Crocuses fresco from the north wall of Room 14 of Hagia Triada, a Minoan settlement in Crete. The purple one is not a recreation of a specific piece; it is simply based on the general pattern and design of heanos.
V-neck trim goes under the shoulder trim or header band to create attractive unbroken line (sewed under the back piece of cloth).
wide 8″ neckline exposed a lot, so I added front ties for modern modesty conventionsmy friend Eyvinda wearing my yellow heanos. It flatters many figures! this has a wide neckline (8″) like the Squatting Woman from the Adorants fresco
the white heanos has a 6″ necklinecloseup up Squatting Woman from the Adorants fresco. note the wide neckline and the 3 beaded elbow tassels. the end threads of the header band are twisted or braided into cord, then beaded. the ends become tiny tassels. this is an alternative treatment for the threads rather than “fluffy” tassels yellow heanos with my impression of the pinwheel skirt based on the Dancing Lady in the Hagia Triada fresco, Crete. uncut neckline falls naturally back from the shoulderline, creating a slight tension that keeps the front in place blue woven trim at bottom hem cutting layout
snug bicep, S-curve (easier to see on left side due to the wrinkles)folded-back neckline can be picked out and adjusted to respond to changes in size, modesty, or breastfeeding status
not cut = flexibilityfancy trim on hem
priestess figure from Corridor of the Procession, palace of Knossos, Greece (Minoan)largest fragment of the figure, showing scalloped fabric, red/blue trim down the center front seam, and crocuses reconstruction of the figure
note the elbow tassels!
Ariadne’s Threads, p.63recreation by Dr. Bernice Jones
unusually, this heanos has no kilt over it; perhaps she is in a private garden, or this “surplice robe” garment is worn solo?Squatting Woman and Crocus Gatherer. note the open necklines. the Crocus Gatherer has another type of elbow tassel: threads are cut and tied into tiny tassels (imitation of flowers), then strung in groups of 3 and hung. This type of tassel was used on the white heanos.
The yellow heanos is made of midweight printed linen from JoAnn’s– the scallop design was spot on! With the snug bicep, sturdy trim on neckline and bicep, and underbust tie, it is supportive.

trim over the shoulders imitates the header band. this has a 4″ neckline, which hugs the neck and keeps the neckline in place I don’t know why I look so grim! note the general fit, not my RBF 🙂 4″ neckline, tight biceps, and underbust tie keep it supportive rear view. great shape.
the S-shaped side seam makes the bottom edge even out to an even hemnarrow 4″ V neckline is supportive with underbust tie with kilt, Minoan-style
layered over long-sleeved Viking dress bc it was very cold!with kilt and headband, Crocus Gatherer pose. front seam left open below the mid-thigh for mobility (shown both sewn and open at the bottom in various frescos)
This is my construction process. For a fitting guide and detailed instructions, visit my Class Handouts post.
- Select your fabrics and embellishments. Choose lightweight or handkerchief-weight linen for a diaphanous, bathrobe-like feel. Choose midweight linen for a supportive garment. Look for a solid color (red, orange, yellow, white, purple) or a geometric pattern such as a grid or repeating flowers or scallops. Select trim that stands out in coordinating colors; the cuffs should have the same trim, but they do not have to match the neckline or shoulder trim. The Minan aesthetic is “More is more!” You can also bind the cuffs quilt-style with contrasting fabric instead of using trim. You can also trim or quilt-bind the hem; they often used blue for this. Here’s a link to the scallop-print fabric I used.
- Determine your pattern using the class handout linked above. Cut in two pieces: the back (regular layout), and the fronts (switched as shown in the diagram below so the center seams fall on the selvedge edges). My advice: Do not cut the neckline.
- Flip the fronts around so they line up with selvedges in middle, S-curves matching the back piece. Pin at sides and outer 8″ on the shoulders.
- Create the neckline. It can be anywhere from 4-6″ wide and as deep as the navel. Dr. Jones’s pattern calls for cutting, but I have found that simply folding the fabric back is easier and creates a stronger, straighter edge. It can also be unpicked and reset if you need to alter the neckline later, such as if your size, aesthetic, or breastfeeding access needs change. Trim the neckline down to the waist. Add twisted cord ties, if desired (this can also be done at the end). Pin the rest of the shoulder seam.
- Sew the side seams and shoulder seam.
- Sew shoulder trim over the shoulder seam.
- Sew cuff trim or quilt-bind the cuffs with contrasting fabric.
- Sew the front seam from the waist to the thigh, knee, or hem.
- Finish the hem. Dr. Jones demonstrates that some heanos had a high-low hem that was higher in back; others are flat across. Seams can rolled, trimmed, or quilt-bound with contrasting fabric.
- Optional: Add underbust ties, elbow tassels, and other embellishments.
cutting layout. only one cut! neckline is not cut, just folded back (my theory). paper inserted so you can see the midline better. the neckline goes to the breastbone (Mycenaean) or waist (Minoan) and can be sewn to the thigh/knee or all of the way to the hem. 1-5 ties can be sewn between the breastbone and waist. cutting diagram, Ariadne’s Threads, p82
front panels are flipped during assembly so selvedge ends up in center seamassembly diagram, Ariadne’s Threads, p82 secured with twisted cord ties
there can be 1-5 ties between the waist and just below the bustcloseup of Bending Woman from the Adorants fresco. She has 5 cords around her bodice tied along her center seam
(but they don’t seem supportive…)trims converge at the waist
the Kneeling Woman has a separate other piece of trim covering the center seam from waist to hem
This dress is flattering, versatile, and very showy. It’s easier to sew than a T-Tunic! For added flair, use matching or coordinating trim, colors, tassels, patterns, or other embellishments on the kilt.
It is a great choice for warm-weather and indoor events. For colder events, I wear a long-sleeved linen tunic underneath and a mantle over it for warmth.
For added modesty, I make higher ties (starting at the breastbone rather than under the bust) or wear a nude tank top or shapewear underneath. You can also sew the center seam up to the breastbone or wherever height makes you feel most comfortable; just do a practice piece first to make sure it’s still loose enough to pull on and off!
Asking questions are truly pleasant thing if you are not
understanding anything entirely, but this piece of writing offers pleasant understanding yet.
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