Arakhchin

An arakhchin (Azerbaijani: araxçın) is a traditional Azerbaijani headdress, worn by both men and women in the past.

An Azeri female wearing an arakhchin, 1897

Arakhchins could be sewn of various textiles, such as tirma wool and silk. However, only one single-colour textile per arakhchin was used. The textile was made into a round shape fitting the head and then decorated with embroidery, lace, beads and even pieces of gold. Men's arakhchins were relatively plain, especially those used for religious purposes.[1]

An arakhchin could be worn alone or under other headdresses, such as papakhi, a turban or a kalaghai. Women's arakhchins worn as early as the sixteenth century often lacked a special sack intended for braids. By the eighteenth century, it was already one of the most widespread headgears.[2] Women used hairpins to secure their veils on the arakhchin.[3]

Arakhchins generally went out of use in the early twentieth century, with the mass adoption of European-style dress in Azerbaijan.

References

  1. Арахчын - национальный азербайджанский головной убор.
  2. Azerbaijani Traditional Garments.
  3. Leyla Mustafayeva. Women's Headgears in the Nineteenth Century. Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts. 2011


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