Turkey
Mugla Province, Turkey

Metal, wool, glass ‘seed beads,’ ceramic beads, fabric
ca. 1900 CE
Size: 10” x 5.5” x 5” (25 x 14 x 13 cm)
See Plate 20, “Hats on the Silk Road,” Russell S. Fling, 2015.
Other – Regalia

A rare West Anatolian Melas Female Turkmen Hat, ca. 1900. This hat, originating in Mugla Province, Turkey, combines various materials including beads, printed cloth, buttons, and coins. The top of the hat is made from red wool, rolled into a tire shape and covered with black yarn. A 7-inch tail of black yarn, matching the wearer’s hair, is concealed beneath a flap of glass ‘seed beads’ (1 mm in diameter). The beads, characterized by their irregular size and shape, suggest they were imported and held a higher cost. Additionally, triangles of seed beads hanging at the temples along with large blue ceramic beads, serve as talismans to ward off the evil eye.

Traditionally, Turkmen women from the South Aegean seacoast near Melas adorned themselves with pillbox hats featuring Ottoman coins on the forehead. This particular hat boasts ten small coins, dated between 1807 and 1876.

Resource: “Hats on the Silk Road” by Russell S. Fling, 2015, Plate 20. Publisher: Silk Road Splendor