Headscarf

Headscarf (tsemberi) made of fine cotton cloth (kouroukla), with black (karakalemi) printed floral decoration consisting of continuous, narrow wreaths of printed patterns around the borders (kenarin) and branches with flowers in the corners. 

Headscarf made of crimson-dyed silk with goldwork. Independent clusters of undyed lozenges (reserved patterns) form a cross in the middle of the headscarf. The disc-shaped centre of the cross comprises 17 little lozenges, while its four sides consist of five or six lozenges in a rosette arrangement. An undyed zigzag band runs along the edges of the scarf, and a bit further inside a branch with stylised leaves and flowers forms a continuous border, embroidered with gold thread in satin stitches, and thinner gold threads for fillings. Each corner of this border is decorated with a small bouquet comprising three similarly-embroidered flowers. The scarf’s edges are adorned with thin goldwork lace. Dimensions: 53x56 cm. Publication Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou 1996, 154, fig. 139.

This craftwork may be compared to examples of similar technique from Syria (Zernickel 1992, 195).

Dark burgundy headscarf made of fine cotton fabric. All around the edges, there is a dense printed decoration of 21 repeated floral compositions in a variety of closely arranged, extremely delicate flowers. The floral motifs appear in green, blue, brown and white colours, and stand out vividly against the deep-coloured background. The four corners are occupied by a larger composition of similar flowers and leaves, framed by two smaller bouquets. The smaller of these motifs is repeated eight times. The centre of the headscarf features a wreath with a diameter of 43 cm., consisting of six bouquets, similar to those that frame the corner patterns. The edges of the headscarf are decorated with a fine sewn-on band of golden thread.

This is an imported headscarf, which most likely comes from a workshop in the region of Bosphorus – either from Nihori on the western coast or from Kandilli on the eastern coast.

Dimensions: length 105 cm., width 110 cm.

The three headscarves from the workshops of the Bosphorus have been identified with the help of the researcher Soula Bozi.

Dark burgundy headscarf made from an extremely fine cotton fabric. All around the edges, there is a dense printed decoration of 31 repeated floral compositions of a variety of closely arranged, extremely delicate flowers. The floral motifs appear in green, blue, brown and white colours, which stand out vividly against the deep-coloured background. The four corners are occupied by a larger composition of similar flowers and leaves, framed by two smaller bouquets. The smaller of these motifs are repeated eight times. The centre of the headscarf features a wreath with a diameter of 43 cm, consisting of six bouquets, similar to those that frame the corner patterns. The edges of the headscarf are decorated with a fine sewn-on band of golden thread. Worn pieces of the original golden thread, have been replaced with ready-made yellow thread. The headscarf shows many signs of wear, some of which have been provisionally repaired.

This is an imported headscarf, which most likely comes from a workshop in the region of Bosphorus – either from Nihori on the western coast or from Kandilli on the eastern coast.

Dimensions: length 107 cm., width 107 cm.

Women’s square headscarf of fine cotton fabric (kouroukla), dyed in bright red. It is decorated with printed floral designs along the edges and in the centre. On each side, four similar bouquets of extremely fine flowers in green, yellow, and red colours, with black outlines, are repeated, while a larger composition of flowers and leaves occupies the four corners of the headscarf. In the centre, a floral composition is surrounded by a wreath. The finish is of simple twisted cord, without lace.

The headscarf most probably originates from the workshops of the Bosphorus – either from Nihori on the western coast or Kandilli on the eastern coast – which were famous for their printed scarves.

The traditional technique of calico-printing was practiced in the Bosphorus workshops as far back as the 17th century. These workshops used fine linen, silk cotton, muslin and cotton. The headscarves were decorated with floral compositions, which included tulip bouquets and carnations, as well as almond and cherry blossoms.

The Armenian and Greek folk artisans of Istanbul developed the technique of calico-printing into an art. It is believed that in the carving of wooden blocks for printing the designs, Armenian artisans played a leading role. Both Greek and Armenian women made significant contributions to the art of stamping, specialising in the application of colour with a paintbrush within the printed outline (for the workshops in Bosphorus, see Bozi 1997, 45-57).

Dimensions: length 107 cm., width 107 cm.

Women’s headscarf made of kouroukla, dyed in a deep red colour called tzeramidin. It is decorated with printed floral motifs in red and yellow, with black outline. 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 headscarf and is handsewn in silk thread. The pattern features tiny white flowers with green leaves, repeated in a row.

The headscarf shows signs of wear, and repair indicates that the pipilla lace had come apart in some places. Despite this, the clarity of its motifs and the brightness of its colours are well preserved. Similar samples exist in the National Historical Museum in Athens (Gangadi et al. 1999, 178, fig. 179, 180), in the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia, in the Historical and Folklore Museum of Corinth, in the Municipal Museum of Folk Art in Limassol, as well as in private collections.

Dimensions: length 100 cm., width 100 cm.

Workshop of printed headscarves Evris Michael and Kakoullis Brothers, Nicosia.

Woman’s headscarf made of kouroukla, dyed with a dark burgundy colour, called xidin (the colour of vinegar). They are 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.

Similar scarves exist in the Benaki Museum (Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou 2010, 111, no. 77; see also Hadjimichali 1983, 394, fig. 423), in the Cyprus Folk Art Museum of the Society of Cypriot Studies, in the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia, in the Historical and Folklore Museum of Corinth, in the Municipal Museum of Folk Art in Limassol, as well as in private collections.

Dimensions: length 100 cm., width 100 cm.

Workshop of printed headscarves Evris Michael and Kakoullis Brothers, Nicosia.

Purchased in Nicosia in the 1960s at the price of 55 drachmas.

Donation: I. Papantoniou.

Headscarf (tsemberi) made of fine cotton cloth (kouroukla), dyed in a dark vinegar colour known as xidin. It is decorated with printed floral motifs, composed of branches with leaves and flowers that are arranged diagonally along the edges of the headscarf, known as the kkenarin. The inner corners are adorned with neoclassical-style wreaths, a pattern known as milies. The headscarf is decorated with pipilla, a lace edging made of white and green silk thread and featuring a pattern of continuous tiny flowers.

The headscarf shows signs of wear and the colour has faded in some areas. In certain places the lace edging has come apart and there appear to have been attempts to repair it.

Dimensions: length 100 cm., width 100 cm.

Workshop of printed headscarves Evris Michael and Kakoullis Brothers, Nicosia.

Headscarf, printed, made of fine cotton material (kouroukla), dyed in dark red colour (xydín, the colour of vinegar). It is decorated all around the edges with three-masted sailing merchant ships. In each ship three lateen sails are depicted, the aft and the fore ones in white colour and the one midships with yellow. A yard with a furled sail across all three of them seems unrealistic; the furled sail is depicted with a zig-zag line parallel to this of the yard, creating a series of triangular spaces filled with red colour. Three parallel lines amidships on the hull, which is covered with light green colour, are a rather artistic addition. On the left, the stern is clearly defined with a high sternpost and the stylized rudder – a bird is possibly sitting on them? A double series of oval shaped circles running along the sternpost, could possibly depict pintles and gudgeons? On the right, an unidentified round feature is visible on the topside of the slightly curved bow. The gunwale is shaped with a pattern similar to the one used to depict the furled sail.  Two oval-shaped red features hanging from the gunwale, one on the aft and the other on the fore part, could possibly depict fenders??? (= a rather recent characteristic…)

Description of the scarf pattern by Dr Stella Demesticha, Associate Professor of Maritime Archaeology. 

Printed headscarf made of fine cotton material called kouroukla, dyed in dark red colour (xydín, the colour of vinegar). It is decorated with a row of floral motifs all around the edges, and a bouquet of flowers in each of the four corners. The outline of the patterns is printed in black colour (karakalemi), and the flowers and leaves in red (tekkirin) and yellow colour. The head-scarf is decorated all around with machine-made lace (pipilla).