A felt cape on the shoulders of a highlander is an irreplaceable thing in the life of Caucasians. She is a bed, and a table, and a house, and a bulletproof vest. There are many interesting stories about the manufacture of Caucasian cloaks. A burka is a very reliable garment and a coverlet. Thanks to her, it is not scary to be in the mountains in the pouring rain. If you cover yourself with a cloak like a blanket, water will not penetrate inside.
Legends and traditions
Burka as a shield served as an assistant when it was necessary to take out the wounded from the battlefield. Thanks to the wide and long hem, the robe protected the horse from the wind and the hot sun. Without a cloak, it would be difficult to kidnap a beloved woman, to defend against a dagger strike or a saber swing.
When a boy was born, he was wrapped in a cloak so that he would grow up to be a real man. When an old man died, they threw his own cloak over him, and they buried him in it. A cloak is considered a valuable and honorable gift; it is presented to close friends.
What is
Caucasian cloak is not justshoulder cape, this is home, comrade and protection. The garment is made from felt. It is mainly found among the Terek, Kuban Cossacks and Dagestanis. In the distant past, felt of different manufacture was used to create burkas. Mostly there were capes made of unkempt felt. Most often, shepherds and travelers wore them on their shoulders. These cloaks were not long.
Black Caucasian cloaks were considered the most practical, and white cloaks were considered especially valuable. Light capes were found among rich and noble people. Such clothes were made of unkempt long pile felt.
Origin of the Shoulder Cape
To this day, disputes over which language the word “burka” came from do not subside. There is no connection with the brown color in this word. Fur coats are either black or white.
Some researchers say that the etymology of the word came from the Arabic “Urdu”, which means “to cover”. Others argue that the name takes its roots from the Turkish word buremek - "cover". Both cases point to the same value.
It is believed that it was the Andeans who were engaged in the manufacture and sale of capes. History is silent about the exact origin of the Caucasian cloaks, but even ancient authors in their works mention brave warriors dressed in black cloaks.
In the Middle Ages, so many cloaks were made that they were subject to tribute and were popular in Turkish, Arab and Caucasian marketplaces.
Classification of felt capes
It turns out that burkas are different, not justlong and shorter or black and white. Caucasian cloak is divided into two types:
- The bell shape is the most ancient look with sloping shoulders and no shoulder seams or panels.
- Trapezoid shape - shoulder seams, wide lugs with metal insert.
Whatever the cloak was, it perfectly withstood the blows of sharp checkers and arrows. Bullets fired from a smoothbore gun stuck in it, like in a bulletproof vest. The Caucasian cloak replaced a shield and any armor. Now, compared with the beginning and middle of the 20th century, the popularity of burkas has declined. But their production continues.
Brook factory
In the west of Dagestan, a few kilometers from Botlikh, the capital of the region, is the village of Rakhata. Here, in 1925, the first and only cloak factory in Russia was opened.
Caucasian cloaks are made by women. The hard work of craftswomen is estimated at 500 rubles a day. It is believed that this is very good for the village. Work starts early in the morning and ends in the afternoon. The rest of the day is free. The sale price of the finished cloak is about three thousand.
Now there are few orders for such a cape. The main customers are shepherds. During the period of many days of herds of livestock, a cape perfectly replaces an expensive sleeping bag. Previously, cloaks were given to eminent guests and friends. This honor was given to Che Guevara and Fidel Castro.
Production technology
And yet, how are burkas made? The best material for making capes isAndean sheep wool, it has all the necessary qualities:
- suitable length;
- great strength;
- shine.
The basis for the manufacture of cloaks is the principle of joining woolen fibers with the help of adhesives found in the wool itself. The process takes place in stages:
- Women washing wool under cold running water.
- Remove dirt and grease.
- After the coat is dried and begins to pull.
- Next comes the dismemberment of raw materials into separate villi.
The necessary contour of the cape being made is applied to the mat, taking into account shrinkage during washing, felting and coloring. Wool is laid in even layers and scrupulously. It takes a whole day.
Good wool goes for the bottom and top layers. The worst and shortest raw materials are used for the middle layer. After the wool has been laid out, it is sprayed with boiling water, controlling the correctness and evenness of the layer, rolled with a gurney. The resulting workpiece is rolled up together with a mat and left overnight in a warm room.
The next day, the process of wailing begins. It is performed by several women in a place where there is a small slope. With their hands, without the application of excess force, they slowly roll a woolen roll. Skating is divided into 4 cycles, with a five-minute break between them. The cycle lasts approximately 20 minutes.
After the wool is rolled with the forearms under the pressure of the entire body weight. Periodicallythe roll unfolds, boiling water is splashed on it, the women correct the shape with their hands and wrap it again. Felting occurs until the felt acquires the necessary properties. The process takes a whole day. Having completed it, they proceed, so to speak, to water procedures.
The finished felt is unfolded and washed in running water. A strong stick is taken, wet felt is tightly wound around it, tied in several places and left in a corner for complete drainage of water. After two or three days, the felt takes on its final form.
Black wool is used in the production of the cape. The finished cloak is singeed over a fire and decorated with braid or appliqué.
