A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts -- one covering the breasts, the other the groin (and optionally the buttocks), leaving an uncovered area between the two garments. The shapes of both parts of a bikini closely resemble women's underwear, and the lower part of a bikini can therefore range from the more revealing thong or g-string to briefs and the more modest square-cut shorts. While the bikini as named is a relatively new creation, two-piece garments worn by women for athletic purposes have been observed on Greek urns and paintings, dated as early as 1400 BC.