Surgery and Clinical Practice
Open AccessThe Ancient History of the Breast in Anatolia
Authors: Fatih Dogan.
Abstract
In Anatolia, the breast has long served as a symbol of divinity, abundance, leadership, warrior strength, and intimacy, from the eras that celebrated the sacred feminine to periods dominated by patriarchal values. Its nudity, size, and number have reflected the cultural codes of each era. With the onset of written history, breasts were first covered with cloth, later constrained by corsets, and eventually flattened by bras. Nonetheless, the cultural, spiritual, powerful, and intimate connotations represented by breast imagery in Anatolia spread across the globe and became a subject of both art and science throughout history.
