Why did ancient mid-east cultures tear their clothes?

Question

What was the significance of tearing one's clothes in ancient Jewish and Greek cultures, aside from extreme distress and sorrow, what did it represent? Were you exposing yourself to the grief?

Answer 1

It's a sign of mourning; anguish; emotional grief, & a sign of humility

Answer 2

It is not only in Jewish or Greek culture , it is also in Arabic Culture whether before the Islam in Arabia or After the Islam
But Islam came to prohibit this , because slapping your face , hitting on your chest, tearing your clothes can be considered as an objection on God's decisions
For decades Muslims stopped this habit in grief , then it returned again with the old habits of days of Ignorance unfortunately
Women in South of Egypt to the Shiites in Iran and Iraq

It is more psychologically as I read , coz when you reach this degree of extreme distress and sorrow , you feel that you are in chains and want to tear your cloth to have a breathe

also there is another significance from the Arab Culture which I belong to , that is madness which is caused also by grief and loss of someone that' s very dear

Answer 3

agree with the others who answered as this was similar to the ways the U.S. Native Americans showed their grief in an outward sign and display of deep agony of suffering and loss

Answer 4

It's an outward sign and they would wear them like that for quite a while.