red

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.       

ΜΓ 802

Waistcoat of striped loom-woven silk fabric, dark red with fine yellow stripes, and beige cotton lining (cabot fabric). It is preserved in very good condition.

The front side consists of four pieces: two equal-sized triangles (gores) on both sides of the opening (bottom side: 18 cm, inner long side: 46 cm, outer long side: 48 cm), crossing diagonally to create a V-shaped opening on the breast; and an additional two pieces that complete the facades and extend to a single piece on the back (height: 55 cm on the front and the back [overall:110 cm], width: 43 cm at the bottom end of the back). The seams of the garment are handmade. On the sides there is a 7 cm slit. Decorative rows of herringbone stitch with olive-green thread frame the upright collar (height: 3 cm), and also run along the two outer sides of the front pieces, up to 10-12 cm from the hem. An interrupted row of the same type of stitch also adorns the middle of the collar lengthwise. The collar is garnered with braid, which continues along the front opening, double and with an added row of kombouthkia [small knots of looped cord], at a height of 29 cm on the left side and 38 cm on the right side.

On the right side of the breast there is a rectangular inside pocket (height: 13 cm, width: 10 cm) with a pointed lower end. The pocket is sewn internally with green thread. Its horizontal opening, 8.5 cm long, is framed by black braid and a continuous row of herringbone stitch.

The waistcoat is double-breasted but in its current state it closes only on one side. Four fastening cords survive, one on each of the two opening edges, another one internally at the base of the pocket and a fourth one externally on the left side, at the middle of the rectangular piece of fabric, 16 cm above the hem. The waistcoat fastens only when crossing over from right to left, by tying together two of the cords internally and the remaining two cords externally (the cord on the left edge is tied to the inside cord and the cord on the right edge is tied to the outer cord on the left side).

The long sleeves are sewn vertically to the body and consist of two segments joined widthwise. The upper segment, which is sewn onto the body of the waistcoat, is an elongated rectangular piece, 10 cm wide and 17 cm high both at the front and the back side (overall height: 34 cm). This oblong piece is joined at the bottom to two triangles that form the armpit, sewn together lengthwise (length: 16.5-17 cm). The lower part of the sleeves features a 14 cm long curvilinear opening, and has a lining of imported silk fabric featuring two red bands with leaved flowers woven into the construction of the weave, and more narrow bands with rows of stitches and purple geometric patterns (height of lining: 10.5 cm). The opening of the sleeves is garnered with double braid. A row of kombouthkia has been added along the horizontal edge.

Height: 55 cm.

Width: 43 cm on the shoulders and at the waist (37 cm when folded).

Length of sleeves: 57 cm.

Width of sleeves: 16.5 cm in the upper part, 15.5 cm at the bottom.

Date of entry to the Collection: 15.7.1994

Provenance: Nicosia – Purchased from Maria Kizouridou.

ΜΓ 392

Double-breasted vest of plaid cotton alatzia fabric in vibrant and bright colours, red, green and blue.

The vest consists of two pieces of fabric on the front and a single piece at the back. It closes on either side with two rows of seven surviving purple knit buttons, one row in each part of the breast. The handmade buttons, that terminate at tassels from the same yarn, are fixed to the inside of the vest to a thick bundle of green threads, sewn at intervals to ten different places (nine survive on the right side) with black braid, an extension of the black loops of the buttons. Corresponding to the buttons are oblong buttonholes with a black braid along the opening and, along the perimeter, a ready-made black edging made of one straight and one wavy band. At their inner end, the buttonholes are decorated with tassels of woollen yarn in green, white, pink, red, purple and maroon. An edging of the same type as that on the buttonholes is used as decorative element in different places on the vest, in one or more superposed rows. A double edging covers the side seams and the seams on the shoulders lengthwise.

On the right side of the vest a shield-shaped pocket (height: 9 cm, maximum width: 10 cm) is placed so that the centre of its horizontal opening coincides with the side seam. The pocket is framed by a braid and a single edging in the upper horizontal side, and by a double edging on the sides and at the base. It is lined with the same thick off-white loom-woven cotton fabric that covers the entire vest on the inside.

A black cord on the outside and a single, double or triple edging on the inside run along the openings of the vest. There is a single border on the armholes, a triple one on the triangular neckline and a double one on the remaining edges. At the back of the vest, the double edging and the braid extend to frame a vertical opening, of a height of 20 cm, in the lower part of the back. The opening closes with a ready-made purple knit ribbon, threaded through six pairs of opposite-facing loops formed by the braid that runs along the opening.

The vest, which originates from Lythrangomi, is entered into the Registry of the Museum of Yeroskipou as “Karpasitiko”.

Height: 40 cm.

Width: 25 cm on the shoulders, 35 cm at the waist (folded).

Date of entry to the Collection: 29.10.1983

Provenance: Lythrangomi, Karpasia – Purchase from Sophocles Sophocleous.

ΜΓ 147

Waistcoat of alatzia with broad burgundy stripes, 0.5 cm wide, alternating with composite bands, 1 cm wide, made of blue, yellow, blue, white, blue, yellow and blue stripes. The waistcoat is lined with beige cotton fabric.

The front part consists of four pieces of alatzia: two triangular gores, one on either side of the garment’s opening (bottom side: 18 cm, inner long side: 48 cm, outer long side: 46 cm), and an additional two pieces that complete the facades and carry on to the upper part of the back, at a height of 27 cm. The lower part of the back consists of thick beige loom-woven cotton fabric (height: 28 cm, width: 40 cm). Further down, on the sides of the waistcoat, there is a 6 cm slit.

A low upright collar, 2 cm tall, has a double seam at the base of the neck and is decorated with consecutive lozenges formed with very dense stitch of white thread, probably machine-made. A similar band with a zig-zag row of machine stitching decorates the outer sides of the front pieces, ending just above the hem (7-8 cm). Simple machine stitching of white thread carries on lower still, as well as around the hem. Black braid sets out at 10.5 cm above the bottom end of the front opening, also extending along the edge of the collar. In the front part of the collar (4 cm on either side of the opening) and along the front opening of the waistcoat, tiny consecutive knots are formed over the braid with added sewn-on cord.

On the right side of the breast, a rectangular inside pocket (height: 17.5 cm, width: 11 cm) is formed with thick cotton lining, dyed blue (indigo). In the upper part of the blue lining, an added, 4 cm tall piece of the alatzia used on the waistcoat, may be discerned through the 6.5 cm long horizontal opening of the pocket. The opening is surrounded by a braid of red and blue threads and a decorative band of machine stitching that includes a zig-zag line within two parallel lines. The rectangular shape of the pocket is delimited all around by white machine stitching. At the centre of the upper side, a three-branched ornament is also made with machine stitching.

The long sleeves are sewn vertically to the body and consist of a single piece of fabric with an inseam. Two gussets have been added at the armpit, joined together lengthwise (seam length: 17 cm). At the lower end of the sleeves, the cuffs are made of a separate piece of fabric, 9 cm tall, lined with alatzia other than that of the waistcoat, with blue, red and white stripes. This lining (height: 7.5-8 cm), exposed by the turned-up cuffs, consists of smaller hand-sewn segments. At the bottom end of each sleeve there is a curved-sided opening (height: 8.5 cm). The edge of both sleeves is trimmed with a braid of red and blue threads, the same as the braid along the opening of the pocket. At one point on the sleeve opening, the threads of the braid form a tassel.

This waistcoat shares several features with waistcoat Number 89: same fabric, same trimmings along the edges (machine stitched bands and added braids) and on the pocket. These similarities suggest that the two garments were most likely a set or, at the very least, the work of the same person.

Height: 57 cm.

Width: 41.5 cm on the shoulders, 40 cm at the waist.

Length of sleeves: 49.5 cm.

Width of sleeves: 17.5 cm in the upper part, 15 cm at the bottom.

Date of entry to the Collection: 1978

Provenance: [Undefined] – Purchase.

Double-breasted vest with a standing collar. The front consists of four pieces of imported purple silk fabric The vest has a small triangular opening on the chest and fastens diagonally on the left side with a black cord. All the openings are adorned with soutache. At the edge of the front opening, there is a series of loops made of cord, forming a festoon pattern. Each arm opening, is decorated with a black tassel. The right side features an internal pocket with soutache at the opening.

Fessin (fez), a cap made of red felt with a thick tassel of black silk. Around the middle of the fez there are sewn-on small silk flowers.

Private collection, Larnaca.

Inv. No. EE 3122: Scarf made of thin cotton cloth (kouroukla), dyed in deep red colour (xydin). It is decorated with stamped patterns. Floral designs extend along its edges (kkenarin, from the Turkish word kenar = edge), while its four corners are further adorned with a neoclassical motif, namely a wreath of leaves and flowers, known as milia. The lace which borders the scarf (pipilla) is made of green silk thread and comprises continuous arched motifs (kamares). Each of these motifs encloses a three-petaled flower with a red-brown knot at its centre.

The stamped wreath motif, known as politiko due to its provenance, was employed at the workshop of Evris Mantilaris from the older days of its operation until it closed down in 2004. However, the same motif was also used by other producers of stamped scarves (mantilarides), who used to add their initials on the mould used during the stamping process (information by Dinos Kakoullis). The initials on this scarf are indistinct. Dimensions: 77x77 cm. Donated by Fokion Tanos, Cairo 1948.

This scarf is part of the Karpasia attire Inv. No: EE 117  [Cat. No. 85.] Publication Hadjimichali 1983, 394, fig. 423.

Headscarf made of crimson-dyed silk with goldwork. Independent clusters of undyed lozenges (reserved patterns) form a cross in the middle of the headscarf. The disc-shaped centre of the cross comprises 17 little lozenges, while its four sides consist of five or six lozenges in a rosette arrangement. An undyed zigzag band runs along the edges of the scarf, and a bit further inside a branch with stylised leaves and flowers forms a continuous border, embroidered with gold thread in satin stitches, and thinner gold threads for fillings. Each corner of this border is decorated with a small bouquet comprising three similarly-embroidered flowers. The scarf’s edges are adorned with thin goldwork lace. Dimensions: 53x56 cm. Publication Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou 1996, 154, fig. 139.

This craftwork may be compared to examples of similar technique from Syria (Zernickel 1992, 195).

Dark red female fez, timeworn in many places. A long tassel made of black silk threads passes through the centre of the top and is then secured externally. The fez supplemented the female urban dress, while at the same time it was one of the basic complementary elements of the male attire. In 18th and 19th centuries property lists of deceased persons from Larnaca and Nicosia, fezzes imported from the Barbary Coast, namely from North African countries (Tunisia, Algeria, Maroco), are recorded as parpareshika. Fezzes were also locally made. Dimensions: Height: 18 cm. Diameter: 30 cm.

A sketch by D’Oulevay depicts the blocking of a fez with a mould, at a fez production workshop in Nicosia at the end of the 19th century (Deschamps 1897, III fig. 171).

Women’s square headscarf of fine cotton fabric (kouroukla), dyed in bright red. It is decorated with printed floral designs along the edges and in the centre. On each side, four similar bouquets of extremely fine flowers in green, yellow, and red colours, with black outlines, are repeated, while a larger composition of flowers and leaves occupies the four corners of the headscarf. In the centre, a floral composition is surrounded by a wreath. The finish is of simple twisted cord, without lace.

The headscarf most probably originates from the workshops of the Bosphorus – either from Nihori on the western coast or Kandilli on the eastern coast – which were famous for their printed scarves.

The traditional technique of calico-printing was practiced in the Bosphorus workshops as far back as the 17th century. These workshops used fine linen, silk cotton, muslin and cotton. The headscarves were decorated with floral compositions, which included tulip bouquets and carnations, as well as almond and cherry blossoms.

The Armenian and Greek folk artisans of Istanbul developed the technique of calico-printing into an art. It is believed that in the carving of wooden blocks for printing the designs, Armenian artisans played a leading role. Both Greek and Armenian women made significant contributions to the art of stamping, specialising in the application of colour with a paintbrush within the printed outline (for the workshops in Bosphorus, see Bozi 1997, 45-57).

Dimensions: length 107 cm., width 107 cm.