The Traditional dress of Roumlouki

1. Roumlouki 

In the Prefecture of Imathia, the part of the plain crossed by the Aliakmonas River was formerly called Roumlouki. This is specifically the area that stretched from the northern outskirts of Pieria to the borders of Valtos (Lake Giannitsa) and from the heights of Veria to Karasmaki (Loudias) and the mouth of the Aliakmonas.

From antiquity to the Ottoman occupation, this area changed many names, as it belonged to various wider geographical areas. Thus it was part of the Homeric "Imathia" of the "abundant in sheep Bottiaia", of the "Macedonian land", of the "Lower Macedonia", it continued as part of a Roman province, later it was included in the second Theme of Macedonia of the Byzantine Empire, and spend the 14th century under the yoke of the Turks. The Ottomans, when they arrived in this region, recognizing the unadulterated Greek population they found inhabiting it, called it "Rumlouki" or "Uroumluk", which means "place that has Romans, Roman land, Greek land" .

The most prominent city is Alexandreia (Αλεξάνδρεια, formerly Gidas, Γιδάς), where we derive most of our references of the costume of the area. 

2. An analysis of the women's costume 

The women's costume shares structural similarities with other known Macedonian attire (poukamisa, anteri, sayias), yet is of the most characteristic, with the perikephalea-like headress (Katsouli), its darker tones and plentiful embellishments. 

a) Katastari/Katasarki (καταστάρι/κατασάρκι)

(κατά + σάρκα) = against the skin; tight

a thickly-woven sleeveless and tight undershirt worn during winter. 

b) Poukamisa (πουκαμίσα)

( < υποκάμισον < υπό + καμίσιον) = under the kamision, a byzantine garment made of linen

a linen poderes chemise with long sleeves and an oblong neckline. 

c) Mproumanik(i)a (μπρουμανίκια/μπρουμάνικα)

(προ + μανίκια) = "before the sleeves" 

velvet sleeve extensions, to breach the gap the saias’s sleeves left. 

d) Antiri (αντίρι) 

(< ott. ''entari'')

a cotton sleeveless mesogarment worn over the chemise and trakhelia. It had an oblong neckline.

 

e) Trakhelia (τραχηλιά)

(τράχηλος + -ια) = "of the neck" , see english words starting in trachelo- 

two rectangles of cotton fabric that were attached with a ribbon on the top. It closed the kamis's opening and was fastened at the zonari. 

f) Saias (σαΐας) 

(<σαγίον < σαγός (cloak) < lat. sagus)

an overdress in either white (for the unmarried) or dark blue (for the married, first worn on the first Monday after heir wedding). The plackets were folded outwards and held in place with the zonari. The sleeves reached the elbow. 

g) Kontosi (κοντόσι) 

likely from "κοντός" = short 

a quarter (3/4) sleeved vest, made of sayiaki, oftentimes lined with fur; its cuffs, neckline and front opening were embroidered in gold. 

h) Fouta (φούτα)

(< φούστα (skirt) < it. fusta) 

a rectangular thick apron that was shorter than the saias. 

i) Katsouli (κατσούλι) 

(< κατσούλα (crest of a bird) < alb. kaçule < lat. casula (hooded cloak))

the perikephalea-like headdress. It was comprised of a felt ball, which was covered by two mantilia (=headscarves, compare sp. mantila), in turn covered by the mafesi and topped with fountes (=tassels, pom-poms), as to resemble the crest of the Homeric perikephaleas (=helmets). It was further decorated with real or paper flowers in addition to feathers and pieces of jewellery. The number of adornments indicated the economical and marital status of the wearer. * 

i) Ntartmas (νταρτμάς)    

(< ott.  (to tighten))  

white mantila decorated with lace on one side.  It is arranged triangularly on the head so that the peristera, the part of the scarf that covers the nape of the neck, "falls nicely".

 

ii) Tsemperi (τσεμπέρι) 

( < ott. çember (head covering)) 

a black/white mantili.  

 

iii) Mafesi (μαφέσι)   

 (< ott. raafes (head covering))  

black/white mantili. A piece of felt (keropani) which was deeped in wax was inserted between it and the tsemperi.

 

iv) Chrysotsempero (χρυσοτσέμπερο) 

(< χρυσό- + τσεμπέρι) = golden tsemperi 

an embroidered rectangle piece of felt, placed on the forehead. It was gifted by the (wealthy) groom on the couple's wedding day. 

 

v) Flouria (φλουριά) 

("coins" < lat. florenus < Florentia < florens < floreo < flos (flower)) 

rows of coins worn under the mafesi instead of a Chrysotsempero. 

 

vi) Maylikoutari (μαγλικουτάρι)  

a string of chained coins which was attached under the front founta and under the Chrysotsempero. It was gifted by the groom ("the more chains it had the richer he was") and was the equivalent of an engagement ring. It was often that unmarried wealthy girls would be gifted a maylikoutari by their father, which they wore at the back of their head. 

 

vii) Douloi/Doulia (δούλοι/δούλια)   

(πρεπενδούλια < δούλος (dependent)) = in the meaning of "fixed on"     

porpe-like jewellery, attached on the kephalodesmos; right over the ear.  

 

viii) Tsourakia (τσουράκια)       

(< τσουράκι) = Alypo globe daisy, the leaves of which inspired the shape of the hanging ornaments.  

from a star-shaped piece of jewellery, which was attached at the back of the katsouli, hanged two chains with coins which ended in the tsourakia. They were attached along with the doulia at the front of the mafesi, as for the coins to hang on the sides. 

 

j) Asemoyiorntano (ασημογιόρντανο) 

(ασήμι + γιόρντανο < ott. gerdan) = silver necklace

a silver wire-braided tape with a central sheet of metal which was covered in jewels. From it hanged rows of coins. 

k) Skalomangaro (σκαλομάγκαρο) 

three rows of coins that hanged in a tassel-like fashion and were worn over the zonari. 

l) Kopsas/Toukas (κοψάς/τουκάς) 

( < κόπτω (to cut)) , (< ott. toka (porpe))

a piece of jewellery with small chains of coins on the right of the zonari. 

m) Asemomachairo (ασημομάχαιρο) 

(ασήμι + μαχαίρι) = silver knife

a silver souyias (=knife), folded twice or thrice over, with a doulos on the edge as for it to be fixed on the zonari. It was kept in the pocket of the saias, with its chains hanging over the fouta. 

n) Porpe/Pafilia (πόρπη/παφίλια) 

(already from ancient Greek < πείρω (to puncture)) , (< πάφιλας < ott. paf(ta) (ornament meant for a horse out of metal) + gr. φύλλον (leaf, sheet)) = thin sheet of metal  

an engraved silver belt clasp 

o) Zonari (ζωνάρι) 

(< ζώνη (belt)) 

a black fabric belt with either gold, silver or colourful stripes and triangular patterns.

p) Skouphounia (σκουφούνια) 

woven woollen socks with colourful patterns; under the same name in the whole of Macedon and Thrace. 

q) Kountoures (κουντούρες) 

(< ott. kundura (shoe))

closed black leather shoes with a low thick heel. 

3. The Katsouli 

Bridal Katsouli

The women's traditional costume in the approximately fifty villages of Roumlouki is considered a remnant of military attire, the dominant element of which is the headdress, the katsouli, which  represents ancient helmets. It is considered a sign of genuine Greek origin and the women of the region boast that the katsouli was given to them by Alexander the Great himself. 

According to tradition, when during the absence of Alexander the Great on a campaign, raiders invaded this area, so the small garrison began to retreat, the women took up arms, fought bravely and drove out the enemy. When Alexander the Great returned and learned of their feat, he ordered his men to take off their helmets and give them to the women, who have worn them with pride ever since and are the main characteristic of this region.

1. The katsouli (or katsioul') was originally worn on the woman's wedding day. Katsouli was also worn for all important occasions, including festivals, fairs, marriages, and baptisms. The core, or primary element, of the katsouli was a little white cloth ball containing a wooden pole and a small amount of wool. This ball was wrapped around two white handkerchiefs made on a loom; they tied the ntartmas first, followed by the tsemperi, leaving one triangular side open to cover the back of the head with lace. Over the ntartma and tsemperi, they tied intricately the mafesi, a purchased black scarf.

Tassels were placed over the scarves, increasing the height and volume of the headgear while also adding splendor. The tassels on the katsouli imitate the Homeric heroes' crest (ippouris) affixed to their iron helmets. The katsouli was then decorated with paper and fabric flowers, duck and falcon feathers, and jewels given to the bride by the groom's family. Finally, some women adorned their katsouli with a chrysochempero, which they positioned in front of the mafesi and above the brow. 

The Roumlouki women's extravagant hairstyles helped to secure the katsouli in place. 

Their hair was especially long and was only cut at the front to form a straight line and at the temples, where it was wrapped into cylinders. According to researcher Katerina G. Korre's book "Greek Headgear," the Roumloukiotissa's hairstyle is evocative of the ancient "krovylos", a relatively old and especially artistic method of hairdressing that gives the head the impression of a hill or a helmet. Furthermore, Katerina Korre futhermore mentions that the braid with which the katsouli was tightly wrapped to secure it is reminiscent of Homer's braided bundle and the Minoan figurines from the Sanctuaries of Koryphi. The braid most likely substitutes the band (metal or fabric) inserted at the base of the krovylos. The hair on the temples of the Roumloukiotissa, known as tzouloufia or side hair, is styled into "bataries" or twists, similar to the parotids of the Ancients or the bostrychoi of the Byzantines.

2. The tsemperi was worn by young girls aged 15 to 16 when they first put on their sayia. The tsemperi consisted of two scarves, the white ntartma and the geranium (=dark blue) mafesi. The tsemperi was decorated with real and paper flowers and peacock feather pins. To secure the tsemperi, they did the same hairstyle as the katsouli, except that the middle braid was pinned to the top of the head.

4. Origins

The local costume of the women of Roumlouki has preserved to this day various elements of costume dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods.

According to the historical evidence mentioned above, Campania was a place of residence or vital interests of numerous military families from Thessaloniki and Veria, so it is not an exaggeration to accept that this plain was literally garrisoned. This also resulted in the predominant adaptation of the clothing of the inhabitants of this plain to the corresponding military clothing. Byzantine soldiers wore the sayion, a garment from which the sayias of the women of Roumlouki originates.

An essential element of military equipment was the breastplates with sewn metal plates or strips, a custom that was preserved in the wide sequin belts of the women's costume.

In Roumlouki, the bride's attire was called "armatoma", while the use of many jewelry with chains and coins, as well as pieces of fabric with wire threads (e.g., trakhelia), refers to the chain military clothing of the medieval era.

The helmet of ordinary Byzantine soldiers differed from that of auxiliary soldiers, which was simpler, while on the contrary, that of cavalry officers was more imposing and decorated with one or more rows of plumes or tufts (tassels). A similar gradation is observed in the Roumlouki headdresses, namely in the girls' tsemperia, in the bride's fountes and in the married woman's katsouli. Angeliki Hatzimichali argued that the shape that the katsouli, when the bridal tassels are placed on it, is reminiscent of the headdress of women in ancient Rome, who gave it the shape of a helmet with additional hair, which over time were replaced with silk threads, reminiscent of decorated helmets.

At the same time, the ranks of the military were marked with a series of ornaments of the military costume, which indicated the gradation of their rank, as well as with various belts, since the word 'zone/ζώνη' metaphorically also meant the rank. An important element of Byzantine clothing was the belt, while in the Roumlouki costume the sparkling sequin belts are an important element.

The Byzantine sleeves, which were particularly decorated in both men's and women's costumes, were preserved in the broumanikas (promanikas) of Roumlouki.

The earrings of the early Christian years gave way to the prependoulia, which, while on emperors they hung from the diadems they wore, on courtiers and officials they hung from the fakeolidia, which were square, embellished pieces of cloth and covered the head. A remnant of the prependoulia of the rulers in the female costume of Roumlouki are the doulia, which are fastened to the mafesi.

Of course, the selective turn of the inhabitants towards borrowing elements of the military costume, obviously found footing in the pride of the inhabitants of this region, who traditionally boasted that they are descendants of the soldiers of Alexander the Great and preserved unscathed the memories that preserved costume elements of ancient Macedonian military uniforms.

- Periellados

Sources: 

- Πολιτισμός και παράδοση του Ρουμλουκιού 

- Η Καταγωγή της παραδοσιακής γυναικείας φορεσιάς