Clothing and Style

The Middle Bronze Age ushered in a distinct material culture that had crystallized during this period in Canaan. City-states again emerged, boasting complex and massive fortifications, temples, and palaces. One Egyptian scene is taken from the tomb of Khnum-hotep at Beni Hassan and depicts trading Canaanites arriving in Egypt. Their distinct dress and facial features differentiate them from the Egyptians, who are dressed in white linen skirts. The women are wearing clothing over their left shoulders, presumably fastened with a toggle pin. The colorful clothing reminds us of the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors.

A shell plaque found at the city of Mari depicts a woman wearing a garment fastened with a toggle pin. Attached to the pin is a cord connecting to a cylinder seal used for identification and the sealing of documents.