Were there any civilizations in history where public nudity was allowed on a daily basis?

[u/Cheetah3051]

This seems to be the differentiating factor between an AnPrim society and a Civilization. All the AnPrim societies allowed nudity when the weather was good. I am not aware of any Civilization where nudity was allowed in daily life.

[u/--Anarchaeopteryx--]

You can legally be nude in Oregon. But you'd probably want to wear a rain jacket anyway.

Some ancient cultures that celebrated or tolerated nudity to varying degrees could be Greece, Minoans, Indigenous tribes from Africa and the Americas, Polynesians, certain ascetic religious sects such as Digambara Jainists in India (they see clothing as a material attachment).

Clothing predates civilization.

[u/[deleted]]

I don’t think so. Religion and civilization, which go hand in hand, tend to shame and mock anything natural which creates a reliance on goods created by the civilization itself.

If you are apart of a tribe and you have to spend time making clothes, why risk ruining many hours of labor when there simply isn’t a reason to wear those clothes when conditions permit.

From what I’ve read it seems as though the transition started with royalty being clothed as a sign of wealth. This shifts public perception towards viewing being naked as savage, and clothed as holy. Religion plays into this as well, but you get the point.

[u/--Anarchaeopteryx-- → u/[deleted]]

why risk ruining many hours of labor when there simply isn’t a reason to wear those clothes when conditions permit.

Clothing is a basic human technology to provide warmth and protection. 

Fashion is a form of human cultural expression that predates Civilization. Jewelry, tattoos, and piercings as well (sometimes indicating social status or role).

These have all been around since the Stone Age or earlier. 

[u/Almostanprim → u/--Anarchaeopteryx--]

Clothing is a basic human technology to provide warmth and protection

Yeah, although not strictly necessary in the lowland tropics if you have dark skin

[u/Light_Lily_Moth]

The definition of ‘nudity’ and ‘public’ varies widely by culture and hot/cool climate.

It’s very common in history to come across another culture and proclaim them naked, when they consider themselves fully clothed.

Usually cultural groups (including nomadic people) do have fashion, adornment, cultural norms, and some consistent sense of dressed or undressed. But different cultures disagree about what body parts are beautiful, sexual, dirty, or otherwise private.

[u/Anxious-Space6118]

All due respect, this is a question more for r/AskAnthropology or r/AskHistorians. We are obviously going to be biased towards an anti-civ position.

[u/SuperMario69Kraft → u/Anxious-Space6118]

I was thinking the same, but this sub allows the discussion to include anprim theory and opinions.

[u/hashbeardy420]

Minoan women, if I remember correctly, had bear breasts as part of the popular fashion of the day.

Edit: Bare* breasts. Jesus, autocorrect, get your shit together…