Costume

Inv. no. 296: Cypriot costume of the “Amalia” type. It consists of the following pieces:

1. Off-white silk chemise with a V opening at the chest, decorated with handmade pipilla (needle lace), which also adorns the edges of the sleeves.
2. A skirt made of imported fabric with stripes in vivid red, yellow and green, as well as  delicate designs in lighter colours, all in a vertical arrangement. The skirt is ankle-length with rich folds at the waistline. A blue ribbon with a red band in the middle extends all around, above the hem.

This type of colourful fabric, which was common in Cyprus, in particular after the mid-19th century, was also used to make sarkes (waist jackets with long sleeves). In certain regions (Mesaoria), these jackets, matched with a skirt, were called “misirkotika”, probably a reference to the origin of the fabric in Misir (Egypt) (photographs of “misirkotika” see in Michalopoulou-Charalampous 1993, 199).

1. Sarka made of black felt with straight, long sleeves sewn vertically onto the shoulders, and a low upright collar. It closes above the waist, forming a large V opening at the bust. The collar, the sleeves and all the edges have a rich decoration of sewn-on gold cords. On both sides of the chest, the decoration extends into a paisley design. Even the seams of the sleeves are accentuated with gold decorative braid.
2. A red fez with a long thick tassel made of black silk threads. This dangling tassel falls on the chest, while a second tassel is fixed on the top of the fez, forming the tepeliki.

The outfit is completed with jewellery, a clasp, a necklace and a pin (for jewellery, see below). The “Amalia” costume was established in Cyprus before the mid-19th century. It was initially the formal attire worn by women in the urban centres, where it was preserved until the adoption of European dress. Later it was adopted in rural areas, where it was used as a festive or bridal outfit even as late as the first decades of the 20th century.          

Amalia costume from Cyprus.

Skirt of satakrouta, a pure silk fabric made from coarse unboiled silk. The name derives from the Italian term seta cruda. The colour of the fabric is somon (from the French saumon, salmon). The light-coloured field is interrupted at intervals by parallel horizontal stripes formed in the weft. The stripes are in three groups, each of which has six stripes – three fine and three broader stripes. The colours (from top to bottom) are light green, deep red, and purple. Below the bottom group, at the lower edge of the skirt, there is a broad band in dark/cypress green. The thin stripes have a 0.5 cm width, the wide stripes have a 1 cm width, and the green band at the bottom is 4 cm wide. The width of each group is 10 cm. The skirt is ankle-length and widens towards the hem. It gathers at the waist, where a thin belt of the same fabric has been sewn on. At the side, there is a vertical opening of 15 cm, with two cotton ribbons that tie at the waist. It is lined with off-white cotton fabric and it has a simple hem at the bottom. In places, the fabric is stained and shows signs of wear.

Women’s short long-sleeved jacket (sarka) of black felt, with sewn-on decoration. The sarka consists of a single piece of fabric, which covers the chest and the back, while additional pieces cover the body under the armpits. The sleeves are made of separate pieces of felt, which are sewn vertically onto the body. The vertical opening on the chest is deep and oval-shaped, and closes at the lower part with five hook-and-eye clasps. Around the opening of the chest, all around the bottom edge of the garment and the edges of the sleeves, there is a sewn-on decorative band of twisted cord and gold thread, formed into stylised floral patterns with a chain-like finish.

Gilt buckle (poukla) made of silver alloy.

Myrmidin, a women's metallic gold-plated breast ornament. It consists of thin chains, with three vertical ones connected by nine horizontal ones.

Silver-gilt pendant comprising a chain of spherical filigree beads (toutounia), and a filigree cross.

Headscarve made of kouroukla, dyed with a dark burgundy colour, called xidin. It is decorated with printed floral motifs in red and yellow, with black outlining. The designs – of the edges (kkenarin) and the four corners (the milia) – are similar to those of the other printed headscarves of the workshop of Evris Michael (or Euripides Mantilaris) and Kakoullis Brothers. Pipilla lace decorates the edges of the headscarves and is handsewn in silk thread. The lace pattern features tiny white flowers with green leaves, repeated in a row.

Amalia costume comprising  a white shirt, a pink silk skirt, a black felt sarka with gold embroidery, a silver buckle, a gold-plated filigree necklace with a cross. The head is covered with a fez and a red printed headscarf with machine made lace around the edges.   

Sarka of black felt with long sleeves and a low standing collar. The front part consists of two pieces of fabric. The sleeves are sewn vertically to the body and for ease of movement there are two gussets under each armpit (additional triangular pieces joined at the longest side). The sarka has a rich decoration of gold-wrapped thread both on the front and back side. The finish of the collar, the front opening, and the bottom edges of the sarka all feature the same decoration. 

Silver-gilt pendant comprising a chain of spherical filigree beads (toutounia), and a filigree cross.

The Silver buckle consists of two almond-shaped pieces decorated with floral patterns in repoussé technique.

Men’s Costume. The parts of the costume are as follows: a white shirt, a black men’s vest (yelekkin), baggy trousers (vraka), a silver cross and a black headscarf.

Men’s double-breasted vest (yelekkin). The front and the back are made of black velvet. The front consists of two pieces of fabric that cross over the chest on both sides. The vest is decorated with an outline of coloured cords, red and yellow. The back is made of a single piece of black velvet, which extends below the armpits and is joined with coloured seams to the front pieces. In the centre of the back, there is a vertical opening that would have been closed with some kind of ribbon passing through the remaining eyelets for a better fit on the body. The opening is bordered with sewn-on cord in red and yellow, forming a decorative floral pattern.

The Silver cross is decorated with floral patterns in repoussé technique.

Amalia costume contained with a white shirt, a silk skirt with blue and white stripes, a black felt sarka with gold embroidery, a silver buckle, a gold-plated filigree necklace with a cross, a chain and a white headscarf.   

Sarka of black felt with long sleeves and a low standing collar. The front part consists of two pieces of fabric. The sleeves are sewn vertically to the body and for ease of movement there are two gussets under each armpit (additional triangular pieces joined at the longest side. The sarka has decoration of gold-wrapped thread. The finish of the collar, the front opening, and the bottom edges of the sarka all feature the same decoration, while the sleeve seams are also emphasised with soutache shaping swirling floral motifs.

Silver-gilt pendant comprising a chain of spherical filigree beads (toutounia), and a filigree cross.

The Silver buckle consists of two almond-shaped pieces decorated with floral patterns in repoussé technique.

Male Costume. The parts of the costume are as follows: a white shirt, a black vest (yelekkin), a black  waistcoat (zipounin), baggy trousers (vraka), a silver cross and a black headscarf.

The double-breasted vest (yelekkin) is made of black felt. The front part consists of two pieces that cross over the chest on both sides, with rows of black buttons arranged diagonally. t features rich sewn-on decoration made of black cord, forming spiral patterns in different combinations.

The sleeved waistcoat (zimbouni) is made of black felt and has a low standing collar. The front consists of four pieces, while the back is made of a single piece. The sleeves are sewn vertically to the body.

The Silver cross is decorated with floral patterns in repoussé technique.

Amalia costume which comprises a white shirt, a purple silk skirt, a black sarka with gold embroidery, a silver buckle, a gold-plated filigree necklace with a cross and fez with a white gold embroidered headscarf.   

The sarka is made of black felt with long sleeves and a low standing collar. The front part consists of two pieces of fabric. The sleeves are sewn vertically to the body and for ease of movement there are two gussets under each armpit (additional triangular pieces joined at the longest side). The sarka has a rich decoration of gold-wrapped thread. The finish of the collar, the front opening, and the bottom edges of the sarka all feature the same decoration.

Silver-gilt pendant comprising a chain of spherical filigree beads (toutounia), and a filigree cross.

The Silver buckle consists of two almond-shaped pieces decorated with floral patterns in repoussé technique.

Amalia type costume

Amalia type costume. This example is composed of three pieces: a) a long-sleeved foustani  (dress which used to be worn over a chemise) with a deep opening at the bust and a long skirt with rich folds gathered at the waistline. It is made of an imported fabric with thin stripes in gold and black (or dark blue) colour. A gold decorative strap is sewn on around the waist, on the edge of the sleeves and on the hemline of the dress. b) the foustani is combined with the sarka, a waist-long jacket made of dark blue felt. It has long, straight sleeves and a short collar around the neck. The collar, the front opening, the hemline and the cuffs of the sarka have sewn-on gold decoration, which is completed with two impressive stylized floral (lahouri) patterns, one on either side of the front. Gold-embroidered felt or velvet jackets were made by tailors in Nicosia. c) a fessin (fez) a red cap with a long tassel fixed on its top; the tassel is made of black silk threads. This ensemple, dated to the first decades of the 20th century, is an example of the urban Amalia costume, as it survived in the Cypriot rural centres. Geroskipou Folk Art Museum (inv. nos 69, 71, 72).

Foustani, a garment made of colourful striped imported fabric. The sleeveless bodice has a low-cut opening which becomes narrower as it extends towards the waist. The skirt is long with many folds at the waistline. The opening of the bodice has a black trimming all around its edges. The lining of the bodice is made of beige cotton fabric, which is visible through the opening at the chest.

Geroskipou  Folk Art Museum (inv.no 40).      

Traditional woman’s costume of Paphos

The costume comprises the following dress items: ypokamison, (chemise worn as undercloth), sayia (a long-sleeved coat worn over the chemise), vrakia (baggy trousers, pantaloons), and a mandili tis koxas (kerchief wrapped  around the waist).  The sayia is made of woven striped fabric, alatzia, with alternating red and green stripes on an off-white background. Sayia is open down the front and not cut at the waist. It has a short collar around the neck and a low-cut opening on the chest. Small buttons close part of the garment above the waist. On the right upper part of the sayia, is found the small opening of a pocket, the outline of which is embroidered. Loxes, gores set into the side of the sayia, at its lower part, add more width, thus facilitating walking. The long sleeves of the sayia have a slit on the inner side of their lower part, through which the ending of the sleeves of the chemise are visible. The chemise is made of woven, off-white fabric, which is the natural colour of cotton, and has a vertical opening on the chest. Around the neck, it is decorated with fine, simple lace. The vrakia are long and tied around the ankles. The poinarka, their lower, visible part, are ornamented with ploumia tis voufas (loom embroidery) in blue and red patterns. Red, extracted from rizari, and blue, extracted from indigo, used to be the oldest colours used in woven embroidery. The kerchief around the waist is made of thin cloth in yellow colour, decorated with printed floral designs. The costume is complemented with a silver splinga (Provençal espingla, French épingle = pin), an ornament composed of thin chains and small coins or other attachments, which decorates the chest. The chains of the splinga end in tiny hooks, which are attached on the sayia, one on each shoulder, while a pin with a small round filigree head is closing the opening of the chemise in the middle of the chest.    

The costume is dated to the first decades of the 20th century. Geroskipou Folk Art Museum.