The style of protection utilized on the hands and knuckles could determine the style of fighting for the competitors. From the time of the "Iliad" until around 500 BCE, himantes were used as protection for the knuckles and hand. They were thongs of ox hide approximately long that were wrapped around the hands and knuckles numerous times. The thongs usually had loops in which an athlete could insert four of his fingers and clench them together in a fist. Generally, this was the only form of protection worn by participants from the era of Homer until the end of the fifth century. This is in contrast to modern boxing, which utilizes thick, padded gloves. Classical sources describe these as "soft gloves", though modern study has indicated that these thongs were far from soft and were protection for the knuckles, not to soften the blow to the opponent. They can be found on many vases excavated from the fifth and sixth century BCE.