Amalia costume

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