#veiling

The Fascination of Falling Water

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Understanding Veiling in Hellenism, Why Some of Us Choose To?

If you've been exploring modern Hellenism, especially through devotional or reconstructed practice, you may have come across people mentioning veiling: covering their heads during ritual, prayer, or in the presence of the gods.

Veiling in Ancient Greece, Was it a thing?

In modern Hellenic polytheism, veiling is often seen as a personal devotional choice. But in ancient Greece, it was a culturally embedded ritual norm, especially for women (and in some cases for men) with very specific symbolic meanings attached to public and sacred life.

In ancient Greece (particularly in Classical Athens), women's clothing often included long, draped garments like the peplos or chiton, often paired with a himation: a large rectangular shawl that could be pulled over the head as a veil.

While women did not necessarily wear a veil at all times, covering the head in public and in sacred spaces was seen as a sign of modesty, self-respect, and honor, especially for married women or those of high status.

In religious rituals, veiling was extremely common particularly when:

Approaching a deity, especially in temples

Making sacrifices or offerings

Participating in processions or festivals

Entering sanctuaries or sacred precincts

Observing mourning rites or funerals

Engaging in cults: Like Eleusinian Mysteries

Veiling in these moments meant:

• Purity and piety

• Distinction between sacred and mundane

• Submission to the divine order

• Reverence in the face of divine power

For instance, women who served as priestesses of goddesses often veiled during sacred rituals.

Curiosities :)

Greek vase art from the 6th-4th centuries BCE often depicts women with himation veils drawn over their heads during:

Weddings

Funerary scenes

Religious rituals or processions

Scenes involving deities

But there were also in literature! Such as:

•Euripides and Sophocles both describe female characters covering their heads in grief or when entering temples.

Plutarch, in Moralia, comments on veiling as a gesture of reverence and humility before the gods.

In Homer's Odyssey, Penelope draws her veil across her face when appearing before guests - a sign of modesty and status.

Veiling for Chthonic and Ouranic deities

The type of deity being honored could influence the practice:

When honoring Ouranic (sky) deities like Zeus or Apollon: veiling was a sign of respect and presence, like preparing yourself to be in a temple.

When honoring Chthonic (underworld) deities like Hades or Hekate: veiling could signal spiritual protection, humility, and ritual separation from the everyday world. This is especially true for funeral rites, where veiling helped draw a visible line between the living and the dead.

Veiling for Men, was it a thing?

When people think of veiling in ancient Greece, they usually imagine women with their himation drawn over their head during ritual or mourning.

But men also practiced veiling, though in more limited and context-specific ways! So if you're a man you can still veil if you want!

One of the most common contexts in which Greek men veiled was during mourning and funerary rituals.

Covering the head was a visible sign of grief, ritual mourning, and respect for the dead.

It also acted as a form of ritual purification and separation (the veil helped symbolically distance the mourner from death-miasma and the chthonic forces associated with it)

In funerary vases and reliefs, male figures are sometimes shown with cloaks drawn over their heads, especially during the prothesis (the laying out of the body) and funeral procession.

Just like with women, this veiling was not about modesty, but about marking a threshold moment.

Men also veiled during certain chthonic (underworld-related) and mystery cult rituals. These included:

Chthonic Offerings: When making offerings to underworld gods (such as Hades, Persephone, Hekate, or the Erinyes) veiling was sometimes practiced as a gesture of humility, protection, and reverence.

The act of covering one's head before a chthonic deity helped emphasize ritual seriousness and separation from the profane.

It was an acknowledgment that the practitioner was stepping into the realm of death, shadow, and hidden power, and thus needed to show restraint and respect.

In these rites, veiling might also help shield the self spiritually from unseen forces.

"Mystery Cults" (Eleusinian Mysteries): Although exact details of mystery initiations are intentionally secret and thus partially lost to us, evidence suggests that veiling was a part of initiation ceremonies (and this applied to both men and women).

But what about today? How can we veil?

I will now say only some of the ways to veil. There are a lot of methods, some are still used today some not. I'll say both. I'll explain these methods: himation, kekryphalos, kredemnos, and hair-related styles like the krobylos and korymbos. There are more styles as I said, like Sakkos, Mitra, Stephane, Ampyx, Calyptra, Calantica, Peplos (when used as a veil), Diadema (sometimes included as part of sacred headwear)

Himation (luátiov)

-What was it? A large rectangular cloak worn over the shoulders, usually by both men and women. It could be draped over the head as a veil.

-For what it was used? Drawing the himation over the head was a primary form of veiling in ritual contexts, especially for prayer, libations, funerals, and temple entry.

-What is the modern use? The himation-style veil is the most commonly reconstructed type today. Modern Hellenic polytheists and pagans use scarves, shawls, or wraps in a similar fashion: draped over the hair and shoulders during prayer or rituals.

Kekryphalos (кекрфалос)

-What was it? A hair net or snood, made of fine fabric, silk, or mesh, often worn close to the scalp to confine the hair.

-For what it was used? Worn primarily by women, especially married women, in both daily life and formal appearances. It was used to cover and contain the hair (symbolizing modesty, respectability, and control).

Types: Ornamental (made with gold or purple silk) or hidden under an himation or kredemnos.

-What is the modern use? Some Hellenists who veil regularly may use kekryphalos-inspired coverings (like headwraps or hair nets) for discreet veiling, especially in public or when combining daily modesty with ritual preparation.

Kredemnos (knõeuvos)

-What was it? A wide, band-like head covering, often embroidered or decorated, worn across the forehead and sometimes over the hair.

-For what it was used? Frequently depicted in statues and vase paintings of godly or noble women. It was associated with status, modesty, and sacred femininity.

-What is the modern use? Rare today in literal reconstruction but aesthetically inspiring for ritual attire. Headbands or ornate wraps may evoke the kredemnos style in festivals or devotional events.

While these are all considered veiling, the next ones (Krobylos and Korymbos) are considered hairstiles. I did these two because they are more simple to do even in our times.

Krobylos (kpúßulos)

-What was it? A specific hairstyle: the hair was twisted into a low chignon or bun, often at the nape of the neck, sometimes enclosed in a net or covered by a scarf.

-For what is was used? Common for married or respectable women. The hair was kept tidy and controlled (symbolic of ritual order, especially for priestesses and women in public sacred roles.) It may be worn under other coverings like the kekryphalos.

-What is the modern use? Still relevant today (many women and femme-presenting practitioners choose neat buns, braids, or low chignons as part of their ritual preparation, especially when veiling). The idea is to treat the hair as sacred (not hidden, but honored! This very important!)

Korymbos (kópupßos)

-What was it? A high bun or topknot, often worn by priestesses or women in sacred roles. Hair drawn up and possibly covered with a small veil or band.

-For what it was used? Associated with goddesses and priestly purity.

-What is the modern use? Rarely used by name now, but the concept survives in how modern practitioners prepare for ritual with neatly arranged or tied hair, often beneath a head covering.