Historical and Folklore Museum of Corinth

Sayia (long garment open in front) made of thick striped cotton fabric (alatzia, turk. alaca) in brown, bright red and yellow colour. The back and front are made of a single piece, with no stitching at the shoulders. As usual with sayia, there is a vertical opening at the front for the full length of the garment, and a semi-circular opening on the chest which leaves part of the breast exposed. There is an upright collar at the back of the neck. A separate oblique panel starts at the base of the semi-circular opening and broadens towards the bottom. This added loxa, as it is called, is used to cross-fasten the sayia at the front. The opening is fastened beneath the breast by a red ribbon. Slits at either side give the wearer of the sayia some freedom of movement. There is an inner pocket on the right side, below the waist. The long narrow sleeves are open at the bottom and lined for a short distance with silk material, in which yellow coloured leaves are woven against a stripped brown background. This lining is visible when the sleeves are turned back.  The sayia itself is lined with cotton fabric made on the loom. The openings of the sayia are trimmed with gold gaitania (braids) and seiritia (cords, ribbons turk. şirit/şerit).

Ypokamison (chemise) made of two parts. The upper part is made of white silk and the lower part of white cotton fabric, both woven on the loom. The chemise has long sleeves and a vertical opening on the chest which closes with yellow buttons, sewn with red thread. The neckline, the opening on the chest and the cuffs are decorated with crochet lace made of white and red cotton thread.

Vrakia (pantaloons, underwear) made of white cotton fabric. Pantaloons were worn beneath the chemise, and formed a basic item of the costume. They are gathered at the waist and reach down to the ankle, where they are also gathered. The povratzia (the lower parts of the pantaloons) are made of a separate piece of thick cotton material woven on the loom and embroidered with dense needle-woven geometric patterns made of red and blue thread. Red and blue were the earliest dyes used. These needle-woven designs are typical of the Karpasia embroidery and are called pefkota, because they resemble a peftzin (carpet).

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. 

Purse made of cotton thread in its natural off-white colour. It is hand-knitted with decorative patterns in nine horizontal rows. The four of them have perforated patterns. The lower part is plain, densely knitted. The lower part has two decorative additional tassels and also one at the bottom of the purse. All of them are made from the same material and of the same colour with the purse. The openning is closed with a string.

Ypokoamison (chemise) made of striped white cotton fabric. The back and front are made from a single piece of material, with no stitching at the shoulders. There is a vertical opening at the breast and a round neck, and the sleeves are made of the same white material and sewn vertically to the body. The opening at the front, the join of the two sleeves, and the back, are all adorned with a variety of patterns, spirals, checks, as well as threaded red and green glass beads (petrou(d)es) and multi-colored buttons. The sleeve hems are also decorated with glass beads (petrou(d)es).

Ypokoamison (chemise) made of striped white cotton fabric. The back and front are made from a single piece of material, with no stitching at the shoulders. There is a vertical opening at the breast and a round neck. The sleeves are made of the same white material and sewn vertically to the body. The opening at the front, the join of the two sleeves, and the back, are all adorned with a variety of patterns spirals, checks, as well as threaded red and green glass beads (petrou(d)es). The sleeve hems are also decorated with glass beads (petrou(d)es).

Sayia (long garment open in front) made of white woven cotton fabric. It was worn over a chemise and pantaloons. The back and front are made of a single piece, with no stitching at the shoulders. As usual with a sayia, there is a vertical opening at the front for the full length of the garment, and a semi-circular opening, which leaves part of the breast exposed. There is an upright collar at the back of the neck. A separate oblique panel starts at the base of the semi-circular opening and broadens out towards the bottom. This added triangular piece of fabric (loxa), is used to cross-fasten the sayia at the front. The opening is fastened beneath the breast by knitted buttons. Slits at either side give the wearer of the sayia some freedom of movement. The long narrow sleeves are open at the bottom.  The sayia is decorated with embroideries. The opening at the front, the join of the two sleeves, and the back, are all adorned with a variety of patterns spirals, checks, as well as threaded red and green tiny glass beads (petrou(d)es). The edges of the sleeves are also decorated with petrou(d)es. The sayia is a representative example of the type of dress worn in Karpasia, which is often made of white cotton material decorated with glass beads (petrou(d)es).

The costume consists of a white chemise (ypokamison), a yelekkin (waistcoat, turk. yelek) over it, black pleated breeches (vraka), a sash (zostra) around the waist, a headscarf and black leather boots (podines).

The chemise is made of white cotton material and has an upright collar and long sleeves. The front part consists of a single piece of material with an opening down to the waist, which is fastened with buttons. The back consists of two pieces sewn together, gathered slightly where they join the shoulder. It is decorated with vertical pleats at the back. The sleeves are sewn vertically to the body and have cuffs fastened by two buttons. On the left side of the front part there is a pocket. The broad, heavily pleated vraka is made of black cotton material. Around the waist there is a blue sash. Above the chemise is worn a yelekkin (waistcoat, turk. yelek) made of black striped woollen fabric at the front and black velvet at the back. The back and sides are made of a single piece of black velvet. The vertical slit in the back is cross-fastened with a black ribbon. The front consists of two equal pieces of black woollen fabric. The button holes are trimmed with gaitania (braids), to which are attached loops and buttons. There is a semi-circular opening at the neck. On the right side there is a vase-shaped pocket decorated with orange, green and blue threads, which are used to create a variety of decorative motifs. The yelekkin is fully lined with white cotton material. On the inside there is a stamp witting: ‘‘Orfanos & Zivanaris LTD’’. The headscarf is made of fine cotton material (kouroukla), dyed with deep red colour. It is decorated with a row of floral motifs all around the edges and with a bouquet of flowers in each of the four corners. The outlines of the pattern are printed in black colour (karakalemi), and the flowers and leaves in red (tekkirin) and yellow colour. The scarf is decorated all around the edges with green and white handmade lace. The costume is completed with black leather boots of European style.

Zipouni (jacket) made of cotton fabric (alatzia, (turk. alaca) with dark blue and yellow stripes. The back and front are made of a single piece, with no stitching at the shoulders, and there is a vertical v-shaped opening in front, fastened at the bottom with two loops. There is also a pocket on the right side of the front part. The back is made of two pieces, the uper of the same cotton fabric as the front part, and the lower of white cotton fabric.There is also a short straight collar. The long straight sleeves are sewn vertically to the body and have slits near the end. The jacket is entirely lined with cotton material. The front opening, the join of the two sleeves, the straight collar and the opening of the pocket are decorated with black seiritia (cords, ribbons turk. şirit/şerit).