Cyprus 2019 - EUROMED, Costumes in the Mediterranean

Cyprus Post will circulate on 9th July 2019 the new stamp series "Euromed 2019 - Costumes in the Mediterranean".

"Euromed 2019 - Costumes in the Mediterranean"

For a sixth consecutive year, member states of the Postal Union for the Mediterranean “Euromed Postal”, issue a stamp with a common theme. The theme for this year is “Traditional Costumes”.

The Cyprus stamp depicts two traditional costumes, one for women and one for men.

Cypriot costumes are of a conservative nature, but various and graceful. Each region in Cyprus had its own distinct every-day costume, with its unique characteristics in colour, fabric and decoration.

The main variations of the woman’s costume is the urban, the “Karpasiitiki” (named after the region of Karpasia, in the northeast of the island), the “Pafitiki” (named after the city of Pafos, in the west of the island) and the “orini” which was worn on the mountainous areas of Cyprus.

The basic part of the man’s costume is the multi-pleated “vraka”. Along with “vraka”, a dark, cotton, striped shirt was worn for everyday use and a silk one was worn to Sunday church service.