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Thursday, January 1, 2009

Cyprus 1994 - Traditional Costumes



Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 27 December 1994
Designer: Antis Ioannides, Nicosia, Cyprus
Printers: Graphic Arts, Alex Matsoukis Graphic Arts SA, Greece
Text: Eleni Papadimitriou, Nicosia, Cyprus (Expert in Folklore, Cultural Officer)
Printing Method: Litho-Offset on Watermark
Size of Stamps: 27 mm x 40 mm

1 Cent - Paphos, Female Costume, Foustani (500,000)
2 Cent - Karpass Bridal Costume, Routjetti (500,000)
3 Cent - Paphos Female Costume, Sayia (300,000)
5 Cent - Messaoria Female Costume, Foustani (3,000,000)
7 Cent - Bridegroom's Costume (3,000,000)
10 Cent - Messaoria Shepherd's Costume (3,000,000)
15 Cent - Nicosia Festive Female Costume (2,000,000)
20 Cent - Karpass Festive Female Costume, Sayia (5,000,000)
25 Cent - Mountain - Pitsillia Female Costume (2,500,000)
30 Cent - Karpass Festiva Female Costume, Doupletti (1,000,000)
35 Cent - Rural Male Costume (1,000,000)
40 Cent - Messaoria Plain Fstive Male Costume (1,000,000)
50 Cent - Urban Male Costume (1,000,000)
1 Pound - Urban Festive Female Costume, Sarka (1,000,000)

In contrast to the costumes work in towns, which sometimes indicated social standing and foreign influences, in the villages there was a relative uniformity in traditional costumes, a fact attributable to the more or less leveled type of society in the rural areas.

The bridal dress was usually festive, with some jewellery added and the "veil", usually made of red transparent purple cloth were the only distinguishable difference between her and the other guests.

There were, nevertheless, local variations both in the daily and in the festive costumes. The female gown was long with the characteristic long trousers tied around the ankle.

In distant Karpass peninsula the "sayia", an outer gown open in front, was richly decorated with multi-coloured horizontal stripes, the "moustres" and woven or applique embroidery. In the Karpass as well as in Paphos, the "sayia" which previously was being work across Cyprus, continued to be preserved until the first decades of the twentieth century. In both areas the bottom of the long baggy trousers emerging below the "sayia" was also richly ornamented with tapestry-woven embroideries.

In the mountain villages, as well as in many other areas of Cyprus, women wore long dresses with pleats from the waist the "foustani", a dress with a deep opening at the breast, the "trahelia", and the "sayia", through which one could see the white blouse underneath.

The textiles used for the outer clothes were mostly striped or checked local cotton materials, in rich coloured combinations, the "aladjes". Although the "aladjes" varied from area to area, everyday clothes were usually in darker colours than the ones worn on special occations.

In the towns women wore the "Amalia dress", widely known to the Greeks since the 19th century. The Cypriot variation, especially seen in Nicosia, consists of a multicoloured silk shirt and a short jacket, the "Sarka" which was decorated with rich applique work.

A silk blouse with lace at the cuffs and neck would show through the front opening of the "Sarka" and under the sleeves. In the towns women sometimes wore a fez instead of the stamped head - scarf, bordered with lace, worn by peasant women.

Men wore the "vraka" baggy trousers, similar to those worn in the Greek Islands and coastal areas of the Eastern Mediterranean. The length and the width of the "vraka" varied from region to region, whilst the colour was usually dark-blue. "Vraka" was warn with a waistcoat, the sleeves "gilekko" and the "Zimbouni" with sleeves, made of local cotton striped material, the "aladja", or imported woolen and velvet worn by the groom or on special occasions. On such occasions the "gilekko" and the "zimbouni" were richly ornamented with applique embroidery, while the usual woolen girdle, the "zostra", was replaced by a silk multicoloured grdle, the "ttalapoulouzi", tied at the waiste. In towns and in villages men wore heavy leather boots, the "podines", both in winters and summers while women wore short studded boots, the "bodinia".

Men used to wear on their heads a hat, "fesi", with or without a kerchief, or a kerchief without fesi.

Most of the traditional and better preserved Cypriot costumes found in public and private collections date back to the 18th, 19th and early 20th century.

Source: Department of Postal Services, Republic of Cyprus.

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