Tunics were the principal garments found in the burial grounds of Egypt, which were situated beyond the flood plains of the Nile, the hot dry sand ensuring the long survival of textiles and other objects. Excavations of these graves in the later 19th and early 20th centuries revealed numerous precious and household goods as well as vast numbers of clothing and textiles. After the practise of mummification ceased, it became common to bury the dead with their clothes and other goods.

Tunics were the basic costume worn by both men and women, knee length or longer for men and always long for women. They were normally woven in one piece, which would take the form of a cross if spread out. The shoulder bands, derived from the Roman clavus (the Latin for stripe), originally identified the status of the wearer, but subsequently the ornaments on tunics, as in this case, became purely decorative.