black

Sarka, women’s short long-sleeved jacket made of black felt, with sewn-on decoration. The chest has a deep oval opening, which becomes straight at its lower part. Around the opening of the chest, all around the bottom edge and at the edges of the sleeves, there is a sewn-on decorative band of twisted cord and golden thread, which form continuous spirals of stylised floral motifs with a chain-like finish.

Costume of an older man (dress Inv. No. 247), comprising a vraka (Inv. No. EE 3835), a chemise (Inv. No. EE 3836), a zostra (Inv. No. EE 3837), a straw hat (Inv. No. EE 3838) and po(d)ines (Inv. No. EE 3839). The costume was donated to the Benaki Museum by “Demetra”, the Rural Local Union of Lysi, Cyprus, in 1973.

Inv. No. EE 3835: Black vraka of loom-woven cotton fabric, with a cut similar to that of the young man’s breeches. Each leg of the vraka consists of a fabric panel folded and joined along the inner side to the central piece, the vakla (sella). At the lower end the leg openings, 15 cm. wide, have three rows of plain stitches along their edges. At the outer part of the side pieces, two rows of stitches form a decorative band from top to bottom that gives the impression of a seam. The sella is made of two fabric panels with a vertical joint at the centre, reaching from the front to the waist at the back, where there is a slit 15 cm. long. At the waist the fabric is folded to form a hem, through which passes the vrakozonin, a white cotton lace, 1 cm. wide, braided in a fishbone pattern. The vrakozonin was used for tying the vraka at the waist; it was passed through the hem with the help of a wooden accessory, the vrakorechtis. The vraka is prosiasti (pleated), yet its pleats are not as dense as those of the young man’s breeches. Dimensions: Length of vraka: 73 cm. maximum width: 143 cm.

Inv. No. EE 3836: Grey shirt made of alatzia, with a low upright collar and long sleeves with cuffs that close with a white button. The single-piece back is joined at the sides to the two front pieces. A slit opening, 11 cm. long, is formed at the bottom of these side seams. The nomitis below the collar is made of a separate piece. A vertical opening along the chest closes with six white buttons up to the base of the neck. The sleeves are formed of a single piece with a seam at the inner side of the arm. All seams are made of black thread stitches. Dimensions: Length: 75 cm. Width: 57 cm. Length of sleeves: 57,5 cm. Width of collar: 3 cm.

Inv. No. EE 3837: Zostra (waist sash) made of black woollen dimity. The only decorative element is a red line at the narrow sides, near the edges. Warp threads extend into simple fringes. Across one of the long sides the sash ends simply at the selvage, while on the opposite side the fabric folds into a narrow hem sewn with black thread in a fly stitch. Length: 232 cm. Width: 46 cm.

Inv. No. EE 3838: Wide-brimmed straw hat. A thin band of black fabric, 3 cm. wide, encircles the brim and the base of the projecting crown, which covers the head. Height: 9 cm. Diameter: 37 cm.

The straw hat made its appearance in Cyprus at the beginning of the British period; yet, as it accompanied European-style dress, it was more common in urban centres than in the countryside, where the prevailing types of headcover were the fez with a headscarf or the headscarf alone. The hat became rather popular during the 20th century.

Straw hats and European costumes are depicted in a photo by J.P. Foscolo, portraying the staff of the Ottoman Bank in Larnaca in 1895 (Foscolo 1992). Straw hats worn in combination with breeches are shown in photos dated to the last decade of the 19th century (Ohnefalsch-Richter 1994, tables 31: 1, 33: 1). The combination with breeches and boots is also met in a 1920 photograph, taken in Mesaoria (Michalopoulou-Charalambous 1993, 207).

Inv. No. EE 3839: Black podines (boots) of tanned he-goat skin, with a lining of yellowish sheepskin. At the upper end the leather folds outwards, forming a wide light-coloured band with a narrow hem of black leather, sewn with a zigzag stitch.

At the front end the toe box of the podina is slightly raised. Each boot consists of the following pieces: the front (the promouttin), sewn at the sides to the separate piece of the heel counter, a single piece that covers the calf, with a vertical seam along the outer side, and an additional triangular piece at the bottom of the calf and over the ankle, again at the outer side. All around the heel counter, a seam of stitches develops parallel to the joint. Overlaid pieces of sole leather form a thick sole without a heel. 14 iron flathead nails (rizes) made by a blacksmith are inserted at the tread. Their bent ends are seen all around the top of the sole. At the front of the sole there are three button-shaped nails with thin incisions on their round heads. A light-coloured seam extends at the joint of the sole to the boot leather above.

Instead of leather straps, the podines have a brown wool-knitted lace with a loop at one end, through which the other end passes. The lace is tightened by pulling. At the front part of the boots, down at the foot, decorative imprinted circles with a mesh design are arranged in three rows of five, six (at the centre) and five circles respectively.

The podines of the costume are entirely unworn. In Lysi, as in almost all the villages of Cyprus, there were skarpari(d)es, who made shoes, and tsagkari(d)es, who made podines (mentioned by name from 1885 to 1953 in: Xystouris 1980, 121). Height: 45 cm. Length of foot: 28,5 cm.

Traditional costume of a young man from Lysi (dress Inv. No. 246), comprising a chemise (Inv. No. EE 3830), a yelekkin (Inv. No. EE 3831), a zostra (Inv. No. EE 3832), a vraka (Inv. No. EE 3833) and po(d)ines (Inv. No.EE 3834). Donated to the Benaki Museum by “Demetra”, the Rural Local Union of Lysi, Cyprus, in 1973.

Inv. No. EE 3830: Festive chemise, made of woven striped, taiston silk fabric (pouroudjioukkin) in an off-white colour. The back and the front sides consist of a single piece, with vertical woven stripes. The upper front part, which is divided in the middle by a vertical opening, has an additional second piece of fabric with its stripes arranged in an oblique position, so that they converge to the centre. The additional piece, rectangular and cut obliquely at the bottom corners, ends in a sewn-on band of ready-made lace (edging). Similar lace adorns both sides of the chest opening, which closes with six off-white buttons. Two more buttons hold the lapels of the collar. A triangle, formed centrally at the back of the collar, is also fastened with a button. The sleeves are attached to a separate piece of fabric at the shoulders, the nomite, as well as to the front side of the chemise. They are long, with cuffs bearing two buttonholes each. The length of the chemise is increased by a piece of fabric – simple, with no stripes - added to the bottom. A square piece of fabric of the same type has been added to the armpits for ease of movement. Length of the chemise: 72 cm. Width at the shoulders: 36 cm. Length of sleeves: 50 cm.

Inv. No. EE 3831: Festive yelekkin, made of black velvet. Its crossover opening is fastened on both sides with 11 and 12 black buttons (later addition) respectively, sewn in an oblique arrangement with coloured threads. The edges and all the openings end in a thick, braided blue cord, double around the neck and along the crossover opening, where it forms loops corresponding to the buttons. At the back, a vertical opening is cross fastened with two ribbons, green and red, passing through loops made of blue cord.

The yelekkin is richly decorated. Twisted coloured threads, orange, blue, pink, green, yellow and purple, trim all the openings and the waist round, forming bands of very simple linear patterns and stylized floral designs. Two large, sewn-on pockets, one on each side of the chest, are decorated with a three-stranded tree of green and pink thread. The pockets, bordered by a black cord, are also adorned with scroll patterns of orange and red thread. The three-stranded tree is repeated above the vertical opening at the back. The vest is lined with white cotton cloth, bearing all the coloured threads of decoration.

This vest, although of a relatively later date (velvet vests of this type were sewn and decorated by tailors in Nicosia), repeats the design of preceding Mesaoria vests, made either of velvet or more commonly of woven plaid fabric. Its decoration reflects the similarly exuberant decoration and the colourfulness of the oldest surviving specimens, yet lacking their delicate craftsmanship and elegance (for cross vests of the last decades of 19th century, see Papademetriou 1991, 108-110 figs. 73-75; Michalopoulou-Charalambous 1993, 204-205 · The Cypriot Costumes 1999, 202, 205 fig. 216, 207 figs. 218-219). However, although it is a simplified imitation that becomes almost simplistic, this vest undoubtedly remains in the context of tradition, showcasing a strong festive character. Dimensions: 39x40 cm.

Inv.No. EE 3832: Black woven zostra (waist sash) made of wool. Its only decorative element is a deep red stripe in the weft, close to the narrow sides’ edges. The threads of the warp extend into untied fringes. The zostra was wrapped around the waist, over the vraka (breeches, baggy pantaloons). Dimensions: Length: 240 cm. Width: 42 cm.

Inv. No. EE 3833: Pleated vraka, made of black woven cotton fabric. It consists of the two leg parts and a pleated middle part, the vakla (sheep tail and figurately speaking the sella tis vrakas) or sellovratzia, of two fabric panels joined lengthwise with a vertical seam reaching up to the top, where there is a slit 15 cm. just below the waist, at the front of the garment. The side pieces are joined to the middle piece along their entire length at the front and the back, while at the bottom they have an opening of 16 cm. for the legs. The edge of each opening is adorned with a band of black thread stitches, forming a zigzag line between horizontal ones. At the waist the fabric is folded outwards, and through the hem passes a knitted white cotton cord, the vrakozonin, by means of which the breeches are held in place, forming dense folds. The vraka is in excellent condition and looks unworn. Dimensions: Length: 75 cm. maximum width: 94 cm.

Inv. No. EE 3834: Fragkopodines skarparisimes (boots made by a shoemaker), black and reaching up to the knee. There is a distinction between right and left foot. The soles are sewn, and the low heel has a nailed rubber band with the logo of the firm Continental encircling an upright horse. The soles are wider than the insole, and their projecting contour is decorated with incisions. The boots have a rounded toe box; the front part, the promouttin, extends with a vertical tongue-shaped element onto the shaft, while its sides are joined to the heel counter. The seams are decorated with stitches forming a zigzag line. Linear patterns of stitches also adorn the pieces of the shaft, which is further decorated with horizontal parallel ribs, five in the middle and three at the top, with the last one at the top edge.

An additional leather strip, fixed along the vertical seam from top to bottom, is decorated with a series of geometric designs, consisting again of stitches. Strips of leather, 3 cm wide, are sewn at the inner side of the top edge, forming loops, through which pass the kolanakia (straps). The latter are 2 cm. wide, with a buckle at the end and many holes with white ppoulia (sequins). A smaller strap bearing holes is nailed with a metal ppoulin at the inner side of the straps, to close the buckle. These straps were tied to better secure the boot to the foot. The specific boots are new, unworn. Dimensions: Height of boot: 42 cm. Length of foot: 28,5 cm.  

Similar boots are shown in a 1925-1926 photo, taken in a village of Mesaoria. They are worn by a young man also wearing breeches, combined with a European shirt and jacket (see Michalopoulou-Charalambous 1993, 206).

 Inv. No. EE 4323: Man’s yelekkin (waistcoat) from Nicosia, worn as part of the urban attire. It is made of black European-made broadcloth with goldwork embroideries. The back is formed by a single piece of broadcloth, while the front consists of two pieces. The waistcoat has an additional collar and an oval opening at the chest. Further below, it is fastened by means of opposite loops made of yellow string. Applied braids of twisted gold threads (gaitania, bobbins) decorate all openings, the collar, the side seams, and the edges of the waistcoat. On both sides of the front opening, decorative patterns made of twisted gold threads comprise winding stems and flowers, three on each side. A narrow band with a zigzag line extends along the front opening. The waistcoat is lined with cotton stamped cloth, decorated with a winding branch bearing leaves and flowers in vertical rows. All motifs are dark yellow on a white background. Along the inner side of the collar and the opening, the lining in reinforced by a band of purple cloth, 5cm. wide. The broadcloth is worn in certain places.

The waistcoats of the male formal attire, made of broadcloth or velvet, as well as the waistcoats of the female attire (sarkes), were sewn and decorated with gold wires or silk threads by tailors who worked mainly in Nicosia. A Cypriot popular song of the 19th century mentions: “On the beautiful broadcloth gold braids are attached” (see Papadopoullos 1975, 238B.35 verse 3). The waistcoat presented here falls under the specific dress category with these features. Dimensions: 43x37cm.

It belonged to the collection of Angeliki Pieridou and was donated by George and Marina Pieridou, in 1981.

Sarka, women’s short long-sleeved jacket made of black silk fabric and lined with cotton fabric in a salmon hue. The front is made of two similar pieces, 45 cm. high and 27 cm. wide, with pointed ends. The two pieces extend to the sides and join with the single piece that covers the back. The flared sleeves are sewn vertically onto the body, with inner seams. They are 46 cm. long, 17 cm. wide at the shoulders and 30 cm. wide at the flared ends. The back has a height of 32 cm. and its maximum width reaches 27 cm.

There is a sewn-on golden thread decoration of ready-made lace with a width of 2 cm. at the front opening, the bottom edge and around the ends of the sleeves. The pattern consists of continuous elaborate semi-circular motifs.

Dimensions: height 45 cm., width 54 cm. Sleeves: length 46 cm., width 17-30 cm.

Sarka, women’s short long-sleeved jacket made of black felt, with sewn-on decoration. The sarka consists of one piece of fabric, which covers the chest and most of the back, with additional pieces covering the body under the armpits and extending to the back. The sleeves are made of separate pieces of felt, which are sewn vertically onto the body. The chest has a deep oval opening, which becomes straight at its lower part, where it closes with five hook-and-eye type clasps. Around the opening of the chest, all around the bottom edge and at the edges of the sleeves, there is a sewn-on decorative band of twisted cord and golden thread, which form continuous spirals of stylised floral motifs with a chain-like finish. Along the perimeter of the waist, below the sewn-on decoration, there are three silk ribbons in olive green, coral and bright blue colour, sewn on the felt. The sarka is lined with beige cotton fabric, and the bottom edges of the sleeves are lined with a deep red silk fabric with interwoven floral motifs. It is preserved in quite a good condition, although in many places the sewn-on decoration has come apart.

This type of floral decoration is quite common and characterises many Cypriot sarkes, which are part of the bridal or festive Amalia-style costume, initially urban and later also rural (as indicative examples, see sarkes dating between 1850 and1870, from Peristeronopigi, a village in the Ammochostos district, in Michalopoulou-Charalambous 1993, 196-197).

Dimensions: height 39.5 cm., width 43 cm. Sleeves: length 45 cm., width 17-19 cm.

Sarka of black felt with long sleeves and a low standing collar, 3 cm. high. 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 triangles reach 7 cm. above the lower edge of the sarka. The back consists of a single piece.  

The sarka has a rich decoration of gold-wrapped thread and double rows of metallic soutache joined with a metallic thread of fine quality. 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. The designs consist of a series of arches with spiral extensions between them, above a series of vertical lines,1 cm high. The central arch at the edge of the back is crowned with a complex curvilinear motif, perhaps a stylised tree,10 cm. high. At the join of the seam of the sleeves with the bottom decorative band, tiny spiral patterns 6 cm. high frame both sides of the soutache that covers the seam of the sleeves, as an extension of the decoration at the bottom edge of the sarka. At the front, each side of the chest features a large, elongated paisley; its surface is covered with stylised, swirling floral motifs. The upper tip of the paisley extends to a delicate pattern of spirals. At the back part of the neck, below the collar, there is a simpler lattice pattern in golden thread, with tiny loops at the tips.

Although this sarka is of a common type, it is distinguished by its meticulous manufacture, and especially by its elegant and intricate decoration, which is further emphasised by the sharp contrast between the gold designs and the black felt.

The sarka is lined with a beige fabric. It is identical with sarka CMLE 2113/8.

Dimensions: height 39 cm., width 40 cm. Sleeves: length 45 cm., width 16.5 cm.

Purchase Price: 510 drachmas. Purchased the same year as the previous one but at half the price.

Sarka of black felt with long sleeves and a low standing collar, 3 cm high. 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 top of the triangles is 7 cm above the bottom edge of the sarka. The back consists of a single piece.  

The sarka has a rich decoration of gold-wrapped thread and double rows of metallic soutache, joined with a metallic thread of fine quality. The finish of the collar, the front opening, and the edges of the bottom part of the sarka all feature the same decoration, while the sleeve seams are also emphasised with soutache. The designs consist of a series of arches with spiral extensions between them, above a series of vertical lines, 1 cm. high. The central arch at the edge of the back is crowned with a complex curvilinear motif, perhaps a stylised tree,10 cm. high. Where the seam of the sleeves meets the bottom decorative band, tiny spirals, 6 cm. high, frame both sides of the soutache that covers the seam of the sleeves, as an extension of the decoration that lines the bottom edge of the sarka. At the front, each side of the chest features a large, elongated paisley; its surface is covered with stylised, swirling floral motifs. The upper tip of the paisley extends into a delicate pattern of spirals. At the back part of the neck, below the collar, there is a simpler lattice pattern in golden thread, with tiny loops at the tips.

This sarka, although of a common type, is distinguished by its meticulous manufacture, and especially by its elegant and intricate decoration, which is further emphasised by the sharp contrast between the gold designs and the black felt.

The sarka is lined with a beige fabric.

Dimensions: height 39.5 cm., width 43 cm. Sleeves: length 46 cm., width 17 cm.

Purchase Price: 1200 drachmas.

Sarka, a women's short jacket with long sleeves, made of black felt, with intricate applied decoration. It consists of two front pieces that extend to the sides to join the trapezoidal piece at the back. The front has a deep oval-shaped opening that becomes straight at the lower part, where the edges are fastened together with three hook-and-eye clasps. The lining of both sides of the vertical opening at the lower part of the front, is reinforced with red satin. The sleeves widen towards the edge and are sewn vertically onto the body, with inner seams. The edges of all the openings are covered with sewn-on decoration of twisted cord made of golden thread, which forms floral motifs, curved branches, and leaves. The finish consists of a thin band with a chain-like pattern. This applied decoration, with variations in the patterns, is very common in Cypriot sarkes. It typically covers the bottom edges of the sleeves, the opening of the chest and the edge of the lower part of the sarka at the waist. The garment is lined with beige cotton fabric. A similar type of sarka, with an almost identical sewn-on decoration, is worn by the woman in a couple’s portrait in festive costume, at the Saint Herakleidios monastery fair in the late 19th century (photograph in the Album of Max and Magda Ohnefalsch-Richter; see Marangou and Malekos 1990, p. 70a).

Dimensions: height 37 cm., width 29 cm. Sleeves: length 50 cm., width 18 cm. at the top and 23 cm. at the bottom.

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. In the middle, below the sewn-on decoration, three horizontal ribbons of olive green, coral and blue have been sewn into the felt. The jacket is lined with beige cotton fabric and at the lower part of the sleeve it is lined with a deep red silken material with floral motifs. The garment is preserved in fairly good condition, although in several places the sewn-on decoration had come apart and was repaired.

This type of sewn-on decoration is common and characterises many Cypriot sarkes, which are part of the formal, bridal, or festive Amalia-style costume, initially urban and later also rural (as indicative examples, see sarkes from the period 1850-1870, from Peristeronopigi Ammochostou, in Michalopoulou-Charalambous 1993, 196-197).

Dimensions: Height 39.5 cm. width 43 cm. Sleeves: length 45 cm., width 17-19 cm.