Female and Male

Photograph of a group of people, men, women and children, in the fields with a harvesting machine. The names recorded are: Yorgozlu Ömer, Mehmet Patariyacı, Keziban, Derviş Ahmet, Havva Kavaz, Hasan Damdelen (father of Aziz Damdelen), B. Mehmet, kızı (daughter) Sultan Keziban, Hacı Ali, B. Hasan, Halide Süleyman, Adem uzun Hasan. The photograph was taken in 1946, as noted on its upper part. It was the harvest time for barley, which usually started by mid-April. The fields with the ripe crop extend far back in the distance, where the Keryneia mountain range is to be seen. All persons form a group around and on a harvesting machine; it is of the earliest type, which was drawn by a pair of oxen. The wooden yoke tied onto the protruding shaft with a thick cord made from oxhide thongs plaited together (lourikós in Greek Cypriot), is clearly visible. In the course of harvesting, women and children used to bind the cut corn into sheaves, which were then stacked up in ricks. Several ricks are to be seen on the field in the background; there are also a couple of bound sheaves lying on the field in the foreground, and another one is held by a woman who stands in front of the oxen. She seems to wear trousers under a long white overcoat, and her head is covered with a black veil (çarşaf). At the extreme right of the photograph stands a young boy dressed with knee-length trousers and a white shirt; he holds in his arms a baby with a white skullcap. Next to the boy stand three young girls wearing working clothes and headscarves (yemeni), also leather peasant boots made for women; there is one more woman behind the harvesting machine, wearing a white headscarf with ends tied under her chin. The males of the group, one boy and three men, are on the machine. The man sitting in front wears a white shirt, long trousers and boots; the man behind him is similarly dressed; both wear the same type of white headscarf that could cover the ears (TCy: kulak çapıdı). The young man at the back wears a hat.

Village Kioneli (Gönyeli), Nicosia District.

Street photograph, most probably taken in the Public Garden in Nicosia, outside the Paphos Gate. It shows an old lady standing between two young persons, a woman on her right and a man on her left, and holding a bunch of flowers. She wears a two-piece black çarşaf over a light-coloured inner garment. The upper part covers the hair and part of the forehead. Her black bar shoes are fastened with a buckle and her stockings are white.

The young lady wears a modern variation of the çarşaf, a skirt long enough just to cover the knees, combined with a chequered, fitted jacket over what seems to be a blouse. The çarşaf covers the head, being tied around the forehead, and comes down at the back, leaving the hair visible below it on both sides. She wears low-heeled black shoes over white stockings.

The man is dressed in a European-style two-piece suit, a woollen knitted pullover over a dark-coloured shirt and a striped scarf around the neck. Black leather shoes and belt, a fresh carnation on the lapel of the jacket and a handkerchief in the pocket, complete his attire.

Photograph of Emine (born in 1917 in Kanli) and Tahsin Mustafa Damdelen (1912-1964). It was taken in the Public Garden, Nicosia, between the years 1938 and 1940.

Emine stands on the right side of her husband. She wears the typical Muslim women’s outdoor overgarment, in its modern version of the late 1930s; the headdress is low on the front and leaves exposed only the part of the hair which covers the ears. The veil falls on either side and encloses the upper part of the body down to the waist; on the chest it is closed with a pearl pin; the skirt is wide and reaches just below the knees; this garment is called kırmalı çarşaf (pleated). Under the çarşaf she wears a white shirt with broad cuffs which can be seen below the edges of the veil. Her stockings are also white, while the footwear, which she acquired as dowry from her parents, consists of two-tone slip-on court shoes with peaked toecaps, and high heels. Around her neck is a necklace with a series of beads. In her right hand she holds a white bag with a strap, the top fashion of that time.

The man’s curly hair has a parting on the left and falls to the right. He wears a western-style jacket made of English brown fabric; the coat is closed with two buttons and has a double collar and three pockets; in the left breast pocket is a silk handkerchief decorated with lace. Under the jacket he wears a white silk shirt bought in 1938; the wide collar of the shirt falls over the jacket’s collar. This European-looking costume on the upper part, is combined with traditional dress items on the lower body: loom-woven knee-breeches (dizlik) made of cotton cloth dyed black by a dyer (boyacı), hand-knitted stockings (Temroz çorabı, of the style used in Templos, in Keryneia) with white patterns on black background (a flowerpot with a tripartite flower motif with juxtaposed birds on top), and elastic-sided ankle boots (lastikli konçlu potin) with lighter upper parts. He holds a folding stick in his left hand.

Source: Emine Damdelen.

Village: Kioneli (Gönyeli), Nicosia District.

Photograph taken in 1931 in the studio of Fevzi Akarsu, commemorating the wedding of Sadiye Ali (1905-1989) and Ali Hasan Yorgancı (1906-1989) (the same persons as in No. 030). The painted background shows a window and a low table on which stands a vase with flowers, all white.

The bride, Sadiye Ali, wears a white wedding-dress (gelinlik) decorated with hand-embroidered spiral patterns in purple colour on the chest, and a single line around the neck. The dress is long, down to the ankles, and shows a narrow horizontal strip of the same cloth just below the waist. The dark hair forms waves along the front and falls down over the shoulders on the chest (a similar coiffure to that of the bride in No. 027). The head is covered with an impressive crown composed of artificial, handmade flowers, white and yellow. From the crown falls a long veil (duvak) with golden yellow tinsels along its inner sides (tel). Thin, transparent stockings and black button bar shoes complement the wedding attire. Around the neck there is a black ribbon of thick silk tissue (mantin) from which hang a bendo and three red/golden lira (kırmızı (altın) lira), of pure gold. This is a characteristic traditional jewel. The left hand of the bride is resting on the groom’s shoulder. Her fingers are painted with henna, as was customary (the dark-painted fingers of the right hand are seen more clearly).

The groom wears a loom-woven white silk shirt with soft black-striped collar and broad sleeves with cuffs; also black knee-breeches and a wide Tripoli sash (tarabulus kuşak) around the waist; the colours of the sash match those of the hand-knitted stockings, which are decorated with checkered patterns. He also wears black elastic-sided ankle boots. Worth mentioning is the special hair style with hair parting in the middle and falling on either side with ends turning upwards; this style is called horaşa/horoşa by the Turkish Cypriots (probably related to the Greek word horístra, parting). He has thick eyebrows and moustache.

Although accompanied by the traditional tall headdress, the wedding attire of the bride seems to follow the fashion of 1930. On the other hand, the groom is traditionally dressed, as is the case with the couple in No. 027.

Source: Mehmet Yorgancı ailesi.

Village: Kiados (Çatoz), Mesaoria, Famagusta District.

Photograph of Sadiye Ali (1905-1989) and Ali Hasan Yorgancı (1906-1989), taken in the studio of Fevzi Akarsu in 1931 to commemorate the registration of their marriage (nikah). They are the same persons as in No. 031.

Not only the persons but also the background in the studio is the same as that of their wedding photograph (window with curtains, the vase with white flowers on a white table, the carpet on which the couple stands). They also have the same posture, with the young lady standing to the right of her husband with her left hand resting on his shoulder.

The groom again wears his traditional garments depicted in the wedding photograph: a white silk shirt with soft collar, his Tripoli sash (tarabulus guşak) over the black knee-breeches, and black leather elastic-sided ankle boots (lastikli konçlu potin). The only difference in his appearance compared with the other photograph, are the stockings, which here have lozenge patterns (baklava) and are tied with garters just under the knee. He has a trimmed moustache and the typical hair style with parting in the middle (horaşa).

The appearance of the bride is completely different from that of the wedding photograph, although she still wears around her neck a bendo (five-lira coin) and four red liras (of pure gold) (kırmızı (altın) lira) suspended from a red ribbon of thick silk cloth. She wears a long white silk dress with a V-neck, and long sleeves with cuffs. The dress is cut at the waist and has a double skirt; it is complemented with white stockings and white button bar shoes with low heels. Her black hair reaches just below the ears and is completely uncovered; there is a parting so that a fringe falls over the left side of her forehead. She seems to have black paint (kohl, hollá) around her eyes, but no henna on her fingers. She also wears a bracelet on the wrist of her right hand, in which she holds a bunch of flowers.

Note that during the period of British rule, Turkish Cypriots asked the Government to establish civil laws, among others the registration of marriage, divorce etc. Before that period there was only imam nikahı and wedding celebration; this meant that although they were proclaimed by the imam as husband and wife, it was easy for men to divorce; in the case of registration they had to go to the court in order to get a divorce (information from Kadir Kaba).

Source: Mehmet Yorgancı.

Village: Kiados (Çatoz), Mesaoria, Famagusta District.

Montage photograph of an old couple, probably taken around 1930. They sit side by side with their hands resting on their knees. Both have white hair and are dressed in light colours.

The wife, Fatma Hasan Selim (1875-1955), was a seamstress (terzi = dressmaker) by trade. Her traditional headscarf (yemeni) is fringed with lace. Her white dress, printed (basma) with flower patterns, is gathered and tied around the waist. The long dress reaches down to the ankles so that one can see her hand-knitted patterned stockings (bir düz bir lastik örneği – ‘one straight one elastic’ knitting pattern). She wears black bar shoes and a ring on her left hand.

The husband, Hasan Selim (1882-1948), was an important merchant selling his goods to many villages. He has a thick white moustache and bushy black eyebrows. He wears a jacket, vest and trousers of western style, made of loom-woven silk fabric (bürüncük, bürümcük = kind of crepe made of raw silk). The fabric was woven by his wife, who also sewed the suit. Under the jacket part of a watch chain appears, hanging from a buttonhole of the waistcoat. He also wears a ring on his right hand; the top of the ring is round, most probably a golden lira with Atatürk’s head depicted on it. The laced shoes are black. Selim had adopted this European-looking style of attire, following Atatürk’s reforms, which included a westernization of dress.

The photograph was donated by Afet Halil Hoca.

Village: Klavdia (Klavya), Larnaca District.

Wedding photograph of a couple taken in 1930, probably outdoors, although there is a background hanging on the wall. The man, Osman Hüdaverdi (1898-1977), is sitting on a village chair with his right leg crossed over the left. The lady, Pembe Osman Hüdaverdi (1912-1995), is standing on the left side of her husband. This is an exception, since, as a rule, Turkish Cypriot wedding photographs show the bride standing on the right side of the groom.

Osman, with short hair and a moustache with ends turning upwards, is wearing a tall Ottoman fez with a headscarf (yemeni) wound around its lower part. The scarf is decorated with carnation lace patterns (karanfil oya). Over a white shirt with thin linear motifs and collar, he wears a coat made of cashmere fabric, with a silk handkerchief in its breast pocket; this ‘modern’ coat is matched with traditional black knee-breeches (kara dizlik) and a white, woollen loom-woven sash around the waist. The black, hand-knitted stockings, which reach up to the knee, are decorated with white carnation patterns arranged in three superimposed series, each with a composition of three flowers. Black laced shoes (decorated with a band on the front) with heels made of thick sole leather, complete the attire.

The lady wears an elaborate ruffled white headdress which falls down over her shoulders and leaves exposed the front of her wavy, parted hair. She wears a calf-length loose white layered dress with scalloped hems and long loose sleeves. A flower is pinned on the right of her chest. She holds a patterned umbrella in her left hand. She wears white stockings and white satin shoes.

Photograph of a couple in wedding dress. It was taken by a well known photographer, M. Fevzi Akarsu. The background is the interior of a room with a window.

The bride is Pembe Mehmet Çırak (1887-1958). The photograph was taken in 1930, in honour of her second marriage, 15 days after the marriage of her daughter. She wears a whitish dress, with an opening in front down to the waist and closed with a series of buttons arranged in three groups of four buttons. Just below the buttons, at the waist, there is a belt of the same cloth closed with a small buckle. The front panel of the dress is of a different, lighter fabric, white with narrow vertical pleats. The skirt has broad pleats (eteg pastalı, Turk. etek = skirt, pasta = pleat, fold) and ends just below the knees. The sleeves are long and end in cuffs. The stockings are dyed black and the button bar shoes are black and white, with low heels.

The bride, at the age of 43, is a plump woman with black hair undulating on the front and with long trails falling over the shoulders. Her headdress consists of a high crown ornamented with handmade flowers of the same fabric as that of the wedding dress. At the back of the crown is attached a white veil which falls down to the elbows. The wedding attire is complemented with jewels: a ribbon with a bendo (golden coin of five pounds value, in Greek pentóliro) and smaller coins around the neck, earrings with a spherical hanging element, and a double ring on the right hand, which holds a bunch of roses. The left hand is resting on the shoulder of the bridegroom, who is standing on her left side. The fingernails are dyed with henna. Her eyes are bright, the eyebrows dark, probably painted in black; the lips are also painted, presumably dark red.

The groom is Ahmet Giritlioğlu (1882-1935); he has short-cut hair and moustache with its ends turned upwards. He wears a white striped shirt with collar and separate pieces on the shoulders. The front part with the buttons is also a separate rectangular piece with yet another narrow piece sewn on its lower part above the waist. The cuffs of the long sleeves are folded over so that one can see the lower part of the sleeves of the knitted woollen flannel garment worn underneath. There is also a second collar to be seen inside the collar of the shirt. The black, loom-woven knee-breeches are covered at the waist by a white woollen sash with black stripes. The stockings, which meet the breeches just below the knee, are knitted with dark grey yarn. His black shoes are elastic-sided (lastikli kuntura). The costume is complemented with a watch with long chain (köstekli saat); the chain (köstek) is hanging from the neck down to the knees and turns upwards to the waist sash, in which the watch is hidden.

Considering the period (1930), the groom’s attire is very traditional in contrast to the bride’s dress, which looks quite modern.

It may be noted that in almost all examples of wedding photographs in Aziz Damdelen’s collection, but also in other old wedding photographs, the bride is shown standing on the right side of the groom; on the contrary, in Greek weddings the bride stands always on the left side of the groom.

Source: Mehmet Yorgancı ailesi.

Village: Kiados (Çatoz), Mesaoria, Famagusta District.

Headscarf, printed, 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 edges of the kerchief are decorated with lace (pipilla). The lace pattern is the cypress tree (kyparissoudi), made of green and white silk thread.

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).