Ochipok
Encyclopedia
The Ochipok was a married woman's headdress
as part of traditional Ukrainian
folk dress, often decorated with Ukrainian embroidery
.
Ochipok is a cap that covers the entire head with a slit in the back and laces that pull it tightly around the head.
They were mainly worn by women in the middle Dnieper River
region, including the Left-Bank
and steppe
areas, however the ochipok was also used in other regions of Ukraine. It is thought to have originated during the Hetmanate
period. The specific characteristics of the ochipok varied from region to region.
In Europe in the Middle Ages
, uncovered hair was a sign if virginity. A married woman covered her hair completely, including forehead, ears and often the neck.
Namitka is a long, thin fabric wrapped around the head and tied in the back. It was the original Slavic
head covering for men and women, and could be used to cover the face. Eventually, it gave rise to the kokoshnik
. The ends of the fabric are embroidered, usually with red thread.
During the Ukrainian wedding ceremony
, the bride's hair was covered by an ochipok and namitka. She would wear the ochipok for the rest of her life with various headgear on top of it.
Peremitka is part of traditional Hutsul
dressis. It's a long strip of cloth ornamented on both ends and tied in knots on each side. It is worn wrapped around the hair, neck and chin.
Bavnytsia is an embroidered ring of cloth fitted around the head, open at the top, with a ring of fringe or gathers stitched to the top edge. It was covered with a namitka or a kerchief
. Bavnytsia was traditional dress in Galicia.
Instructions and examples of traditional Ukrainian headgear are on display at the Ivan Honchar Museum
In Kiev
.
Headgear
Headgear, headwear or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head.Headgear serve a variety of purposes:...
as part of traditional Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
folk dress, often decorated with Ukrainian embroidery
Ukrainian embroidery
Ukrainian embroidery occupies an important place among the various branches of Ukrainian decorative arts. Embroidery has a rich history in Ukraine, and has long appeared in Ukrainian folk dress as well as played a part in traditional Ukrainian weddings and other celebrations. Appearing all across...
.
Ochipok is a cap that covers the entire head with a slit in the back and laces that pull it tightly around the head.
They were mainly worn by women in the middle Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
region, including the Left-Bank
Left-bank Ukraine
Left-bank Ukraine is a historic name of the part of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnieper River, comprising the modern-day oblasts of Chernihiv, Poltava and Sumy as well as the eastern parts of the Kiev and Cherkasy....
and steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
areas, however the ochipok was also used in other regions of Ukraine. It is thought to have originated during the Hetmanate
Cossack Hetmanate
The Hetmanate or Zaporizhian Host was the Ruthenian Cossack state in the Central Ukraine between 1649 and 1782.The Hetmanate was founded by first Ukrainian hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky during the Khmelnytsky Uprising . In 1654 it pledged its allegiance to Muscovy during the Council of Pereyaslav,...
period. The specific characteristics of the ochipok varied from region to region.
In Europe in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, uncovered hair was a sign if virginity. A married woman covered her hair completely, including forehead, ears and often the neck.
Namitka is a long, thin fabric wrapped around the head and tied in the back. It was the original Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
head covering for men and women, and could be used to cover the face. Eventually, it gave rise to the kokoshnik
Kokoshnik
The kokoshnik is a traditional Russian head-dress worn by women and girls to accompany the sarafan. It is patterned to match the style of the sarafan and can be pointed or round. It is tied at the back of the head with long thick ribbons in a large bow. The forehead is sometimes decorated with...
. The ends of the fabric are embroidered, usually with red thread.
During the Ukrainian wedding ceremony
Ukrainian wedding traditions
Ukrainian wedding is the traditional marriage ceremony in Ukrainian culture, both in Ukraine and in the Ukrainian diaspora. The traditional Ukrainian wedding featured a rich assortment of folk music and singing, dancing, and visual art, with rituals dating back to the pre-Christian era...
, the bride's hair was covered by an ochipok and namitka. She would wear the ochipok for the rest of her life with various headgear on top of it.
Peremitka is part of traditional Hutsul
Hutsuls
Hutsuls are an ethno-cultural group of Ukrainian highlanders who for centuries have inhabited the Carpathian mountains, mainly in Ukraine, the northern extremity of Romania .-Etymology:...
dressis. It's a long strip of cloth ornamented on both ends and tied in knots on each side. It is worn wrapped around the hair, neck and chin.
Bavnytsia is an embroidered ring of cloth fitted around the head, open at the top, with a ring of fringe or gathers stitched to the top edge. It was covered with a namitka or a kerchief
Kerchief
A kerchief is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the head or around the neck for protective or decorative purposes...
. Bavnytsia was traditional dress in Galicia.
Instructions and examples of traditional Ukrainian headgear are on display at the Ivan Honchar Museum
Ivan Honchar Museum
Ivan Honchar Museum is a museum in Kiev, Ukraine showcasing the culture of Ukraine and preserving Ukrainian folk art....
In Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
.