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Longevity was up. Men were able to live to about age 44 and women to age 36 by 650 to 300 B.C. Civilizations were more organized. Survival was a concern but there was also thoughts about god and the life beyond death. While there wasn’t television or newspapers as we know them, there was propaganda. Propaganda art depicted rulers as gods. These gods were depicted with an idealized perfection so there wasn't much of a likeness to the real person. In these examples, the Egyptian forms were more Mesomorphic (trim and fit). As cultures and tools developed, sculpture became more realistic. The depiction of muscularity evolved over time, but more importantly was the depiction of movement. The god forms had to be seen as living and not dead. Depicting the god forms with life, movement and action was important… the couch potato was not.

The Egyptians were not alone on this quest to show what the ideal look was. The early Greeks were on this same path. And while the religions were quite different, the depictions evolved on the same trajectory. While early sculptors dealt with pulling the form out of the bonds of the marble chunk, they also worked to depict the male form as idealistically natural or real. The early poses were often balanced and static, bound by a slab to support the form. By 500 BC, the form was released from this marble or stone bond. A depiction of the clavicle, the bicep, the shaping of the calf muscle, but also importantly the back of the sculpture began to take shape. The viewer could walk around the body. An upper and lower waist was visible. Everything became anatomically correct. Look at the images posted, it is very easy to see the progression over time without having to look in chronological order. It is pretty apparent.

Now take it a step futher, the Cretans in 1550 BC were starting to fashion rings or girdles for men. These ring/girdles were worn from childhood into adulthood and constricted the waist to extremely small proportions. They are similar to the neck rings of the Kayan or Padaung tribe that woman have worn for centuries. One could call these the precursor of the jock strap, but more directly, civilizations began the realization of body consciousness. The question of “How can one adorn oneself or look more godlike, more attractive, more fierce or more regal?” was asked. It was no longer enough to look real, the quest to look stylized or idealized starts here. In these societies, men did wear make up. They used oils for softening their skin. Adornment was importance. Color of garment was important. Smooth skin was important. Prestige and prominence became a factor that was expressed in body form.

Ward Nicholson, Longevity & health in ancient Paleolithic vs. Neolithic peoples
Copyright © 1999
Egyptian, Throne Back Depicting Tutankhamen and Queen, New Kingdom,
18th Dyn., c. 1360 BCE, Cairo Museum, Egypt.
Anavyssos Kouros, ca. 530 BC.
Aristodikos Kouros, Ptoon 20 group - C. 520-485 BC.
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