Ricerc@Sapienza

Outdoor comfort, as perceived by the average person, is linked to a wide variety of parameters. Microclimatic, physiological and psychological factors influence the perception of each individual and more generally, that of the local population, given the acclimatization phenomenon with respect to local climate. One of the few mechanisms available to protect ourselves from the outdoor climate to achieve thermal comfort is choosing adequate thermal insulation in our clothing. Each individual can easily implement this protection mechanism to adjust her/his own thermal sensation.

In this paper I deal with the role dress and clothing play in the constitution and shaping of individual identity. Through the close analysis of a number of case studies, namely the substitute king (“King of substitution” šar pūḫi) and “A man’s substitute for Ereškigal” (ana pūḫi amēli Ereškigal) rituals, as well as the practice of exposing royal robes as representation of the king in his absence, I explore the mechanisms that make possible for clothing to both represent and substitute the individual.