Relationships between dress and the body have existed in European and Anatolian folk cultures well into the twentieth century. Traditional cultures have long held the belief that certain articles of dress could protect the body from harm by warding off the 'evil eye,' bring fertility to new brides, or assure human control of supernatural powers. Ritual fringes, archaic motifs, and colors such as black and red were believed to have powerful, magical effects.
This absorbing and interdisciplinary book examines dress in a broad range of folk cultures - from Turkey, Greece, and Slovakia to Norway, Latvia, and Lithuania, to name but a few. Authors reveal the connection between folk dress and ancient myths, cults and rituals, as well as the communicative aspects of folk dress. How is an individual attired in a specific ensemble located within a community? Is the community the gendered one of women, the village of residence, the larger geographical region or the nation? The intriguing connections between dress and the supernatural beliefs of agrarian communities, as well as the reinvention of such beliefs as part of nationalism, are also discussed.
This book represents a significant contribution to the growing body of literature on the cultural meanings of dress, as well as to material culture, anthropology, folklore, art history, ethnohistory, and linguistics.
Nominated for Millia Davenport award.
"Folk Dress in Europe and Anatolia is a credit to its editor and the series, and makes a major contribution to costume and women's history." --Dress
| Acknowledgements | ||
| Preface | ||
| Notes on Contributors | ||
| 1 | Introduction: Folk Dress, Supernatural Beliefs, and the Body | 1 |
| 2 | On the Antiquity of East European Bridal Clothing | 13 |
| 3 | Traditional Turkish Women's Dress: A Source of Common Understandings for Expected Behaviors | 33 |
| 4 | The Peloponnesian "Zonari": A Twentieth-century String Skirt | 53 |
| 5 | Gilding the Lily: Dress and Women's Reproductive Role in the Greek Village, 1850-1950 | 71 |
| 6 | Threads of Life: Red Fringes in Macedonian Dress | 97 |
| 7 | The Curious Tale of the Ultra-long Sleeve (A Eurasian Epic) | 111 |
| 8 | Protection from Harm: The Shawl and Cap in Czech and Slovak Wedding, Birthing and Funerary Rites | 135 |
| 9 | Living Textile Traditions of the Carpathians | 155 |
| 10 | The Cultural Significance of Belts in Latvian Dress | 179 |
| 11 | To Ward Off Evil: Metal on Norwegian Folk Dress | 199 |
| 12 | The Dynamic Relationship Between Lithuanian National Costumes and Folk Dress | 211 |
| Index | 235 |
Overview
Shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award 2000.
Relationships between dress and the body have existed in European and Anatolian folk cultures well into the twentieth century. Traditional cultures have long held the belief that certain articles of dress could protect the body from harm by warding off the 'evil eye,' bring fertility to new brides, or assure human control of supernatural powers. Ritual fringes, archaic motifs, and ...