Pointed hat
Type of headgear
title: "Pointed hat" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["pointed-hats", "hats"] description: "Type of headgear" topic_path: "general/pointed-hats" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointed_hat" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Type of headgear ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Mrs_Salesbury_-_wright.jpg" caption="1676}}, [[Tate Britain"] ::
Pointed hats have been a form of headgear of a wide range of cultures throughout history. Although often suggesting an ancient Indo-European tradition, they were also traditionally worn by women of Lapland, the Japanese, the Mi'kmaq people of Atlantic Canada, and the Huastecs of Veracruz and Aztec (e.g., as illustrated in the Codex Mendoza). The Kabiri of New Guinea have the diba, a pointed hat glued together.
History
The conical hat is known to have existed as early as the Bronze Age in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Central Europe. Conical hats were recorded in ancient Egypt, especially when depicting Osiris and pharaohs, who emulated Osiris' iconography. Conical hats were also recorded by many Indo-European civilizations. Golden hats have been recorded in burial sites in Central Europe. The Scythians of the Eurasian steppes were noted for having pointed hats, often mentioned by other civilizations, such as in the DNa inscription on the tomb of Darius the Great. In Ancient Greece, the pilos was a common hat worn by travelers and infantrymen by the 5th century BCE. Popular among Burgundian noblewomen in the 15th century was a type of conical headgear now called a hennin.
Iron Age
Textile analysis of the Tarim Mummies has shown some similarities to the Iron Age civilizations of Europe dating from 800 BCE, including woven twill and tartan patterns strikingly similar to tartans from Northern Europe. One unusual find was a distinctively pointed hat:
::quote Yet another female – her skeleton found beside the remains of a man – still wore a terrifically tall, conical hat just like those we depict on witches riding broomsticks at Halloween or on medieval wizards intent at their magical spells. ::
Pointed hats were also worn in ancient times by Saka (Scythians), and are shown on Hindu temples (as helmets and metal crowns) and in Hittite reliefs. As described by Herodotus, the name of the Scythian tribe of the tigrakhauda (Orthocorybantians) is a bahuvrihi compound literally translating to "people with pointed hats".
Besides the Scythians, the Cabeiri as well as Odysseus are traditionally pictured wearing a Pilos, or woolen conical hat.
File:Behistun.Inscript.Skunkha.jpg|Scythian (Saka tigrakhauda) leader with the pointed cap typical of his people File:Mann Von Hirschlanden.jpg|The Hallstatt culture Warrior of Hirschlanden wears a pointed hat or helmet. File:Hattusa.king.jpg| Relief in Hattusa, probably depicting Suppiluliuma II. File:Odysseus bjuder cyklopen vin, Nordisk familjebok.png| Odysseus wearing a Pilos File:6793 - Efesto(Museo Pio-Clementino) - Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto, 10 june 2011.jpg|Hephaestus File:Seated prisoner, Ma 1383 (194).jpg|Prisoner with Phrygian cap (Roman statue from the 2nd century), Louvre
Middle Ages
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Yasaka-jinja_01.jpg" caption="A [[kazaori eboshi]] from the [[Japan]]ese [[Heian period"] ::
The 13th-century Cumans commonly wore scythian style pointed hats, and are reported to have fought wearing them.
Originating from the Japanese Heian period, the kazaori eboshi (風折烏帽子) was worn by aristocrats to indicate rank. Still worn today for ceremonial purposes, this black linen hat was used during a samurai's ceremony in attaining manhood.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Codex_Manesse_Süßkind_von_Trimberg.jpg" caption="The Jewish poet [[Süßkind von Trimberg]] wearing a "[[Jewish hat]]" ([[Codex Manesse]], 14th century)"] ::
Medieval Jewish men wore distinctive headgear as required by European Christian authorities. This included the pointed Jewish hat (or "Judenhut") already worn by Jews, a piece of clothing probably imported from the Islamic world and perhaps before that from Persia.
Popular among Burgundian noblewomen in the 15th century was a type of conical headgear now called a hennin.
Modern times
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Winners_of_Children's_Courir_de_Mardi_Gras_in_Church_Point,Louisiana-_2017.jpg" caption="Pointed hats at 2017 [[Courir de Mardi Gras]] in rural [[Louisiana"] ::
Pointed hoods were used by various orders and Catholic lay confraternities for processions (e.g., the Semana Santa of Sevilla, who wore the Capirote).
Pointed hats are still worn in the rural Louisiana Mardi Gras celebrations by the Cajuns, the Courir de Mardi Gras, where they are known as capuchons.
The Ku Klux Klan has worn this headgear since its inception.
Tall conical hats are common to traditional folk ceremonies in many parts of Europe, particularly at Carnival time. Examples can still be seen in Italy, Spain, and Bulgaria.
The May Day hobby horses of Padstow and Minehead in southwest England have pointed hats with masks attached.
Types
::data[format=table]
| Type | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bashlyk | [[File:Lycian dynast Kherei wearing an Achaemenid bashlik.jpg | 150px]] |
| Capirote | [[File:Not what you may think - these are nazarenos (hooded penitents) in the Holy Week parade in Granada (IMG 5519a).jpg | 150px]] |
| Capuchon | [[File:Courir run 2010 01.jpg | 150px]] |
| Asian conical hat | [[File:Aodai-nonla-crop.jpg | 150px]] |
| Dunce cap | [[File:Dunce cap from LOC 3c04163u.png | 150px]] |
| Fulani hat | [[File:Chapeau peul-Musée africain de Lyon.jpg | 150px]] |
| Golden hat | [[File:Speyer (DerHexer) 2010-12-19 054.jpg | 150px]] |
| Hennin | [[File:Hans Holbein Temple Detail.jpg | 150px]] |
| Hogeon | [[File:Korean headgear-Hogeon-01A.jpg | 150px]] |
| Jewish hat | [[File:Codex Manesse Süßkind von Trimberg.jpg | 150px]] |
| Kalpak | [[File:Wassilij Wassiljewitsch Wereschtschagin 001.jpg | 150px]] |
| Kasa | [[File:Gifujyou5834.JPG | 150px]] |
| Madhalla | [[File:YEMEN - Shibam.jpg | 150px]] |
| Mokorotlo | [[File:Mokorotlo.jpg | 150px]] |
| Nightcap | [[File:Marley's Ghost-John Leech 1843-detail.jpg | 150px]] |
| Nón lá | [[File:Garments market in Hanoi, 2003 July 15.jpg | 150px]] |
| Party hat | [[File:Two young men wearing party hats.jpg | 150px]] |
| Phrygian cap | [[File:Bust Attis CdM.jpg | 150px]] |
| Pileus | [[File:Dioscuro cordonata2.jpg | 150px]] |
| Salakot | [[File:Silver enlaid salakot.jpg | 150px]] |
| Sugar loaf | [[File:SAND Maurice Masques et bouffons 12.jpg | 150px]] |
| Tantour | [[File:Lebprincess.jpg | 150px]] |
| Topor | [[File:Topor.jpg | 150px]] |
| Witch hat | [[File:02022 0889 25th International Book Fair in Kraków, Witches.jpg | 150px]] |
| :: |
References
Bibliography
- Barber, A.W. (1999). The Mummies of Ürümchi. Macmillan, London.
References
- "Angeleimter Spitzhut oder "diba" Kabiri (Neuguinea)".
- Elizabeth Wayland Barber. (2000). "The Mummies of Ürümchi". W. W. Norton, Incorporated.
- Lendering, Jona. (2013). "History of Iran: Scythians / Sacae". Iran Chamber Society.
- (2007). "Achaemenid Culture and Local Traditions in Anatolia, Southern Caucasus and Iran: New Discoveries". BRILL.
- Walter Burkert. (1 January 1983). "Burkert". University of California Press.
- (2003). "The medieval world". [[Routledge]].
- (2004). "Mounted archers of the Steppe 600 BC-AD 1300". [[Osprey Publishing]].
- "Japan Regional Information". Asia-planet.net.
- "冠と烏帽子". Kariginu.jp.
- "Jewish hat article".
- "hat – FactMonster".
- "Origen del capirote (in Spanish)".
- "Mardi Gras in Rural Acadiana".
- Kinney, Alison. (January 8, 2016). "How the Klan Got Its Hood".
- [http://www.carnivalkingofeurope.it/themes/high-conical.php Carnival King of Europe: High Conical Hats]
- "BBC - Cornwall - About Cornwall - Obby Oss Day".
- Cawte, E. C. (1978). Ritual Animal Disguise: A Historical and Geographical Study of Animal Disguise in the British Isles. Cambridge and Totowa: D.S. Brewer Ltd. and Rowman and Littlefield for the Folklore Society. {{ISBN. 978-0-85991-028-6.
- Hole, Christina (1995) [1976]. A Dictionary of British Folk Customs. Oxford: Helicon. {{ISBN. 978-1859861295.
- "Types of hats Alphabetic List N – Z". Millinerytechniques.com.
- Sewell, Charlotte (1983). ''Clothes in History''. Wayland Ltd. Pp. 20, 21
- "19th Century Lebanese Princess".
- "The Tantour or Shihabbiyeen". Trmkt.com.
- "Origin of Levantine Costumes". Almashriq.hiof.no.
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