headscarf

Ind. no. 218: Kilaniotiko square, silk headscarf decorated with the "tie-dye" technique. As in all known specimens, which are very rare, the primary motif is a cross that divides the surface into four squares, each containing different lozenge designs. The peculiar, dotted outline of the designs is due to the practice of tying knots before each dyeing with a different colour, so as to maintain the colour of the tied parts. The bright yellow/gold colour that stands out most strongly in these handkerchiefs came from the initial dye, when the headscarf was boiled together with pieces of local Rhus cotinus (for the  method of dyeing kilaniotika headscarves, see Egoumenidou 1997, 41-42, fig. 12). It ends in fringes. It belonged to Loukis Pierides. Dimensions: 77 x 77 cm.