Fustanella / Kilt an Albanian Traditional Costume !!!

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• published: 16 Mar 2009
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The famous Albanian Kilt (Fustanella as it is known in the Albanian Language) was common dress for Albanian mens from the past centuries where it was regularly worn by a tribe of the Dalmatians (one of the Illyrian progenitors of the Albanians), till at 20-th century. Mens Fustanella / Kilt used to be widely used all over West Balkan, in particular in Illyria and Mollossia / Epirus. At that ti More..me, the Kilt was called Dalmatica, however, theories exist that the Kilt really had its origin during much earlier times as a long shirt called LINJA which, when gathered at the waist by a sash, gave the appearance of a knee- or calf-length kilt. From at least the 12th century, a strong cotton cloth called FUSTAN was produced - hence the name of the garment FUSTAN and later the diminutive FUSTANELLA . But archeological evidence points to the FUSTANELLA as being a more ancient form of clothing. Among the more important archeological finds are: 1. a small Illyrian ceramic statue from the 4th century C.E.(AD) found in Durres which depicts a man wearing a long fustanella fastened with two bands across the chest; 2. an Illyrian gravestone from the 3rd to 4th century C.E.(AD) found in Smokthine of Mesaplik (Vlora- Albania), which shows a man dressed in a fustanella; 3. and much more ancient Illyrian figurines found in Maribor, Slovenia, which dates from the 5th century B.C.E. (BC) which also shows a fustanella worn with the two bands across the chest (very similar to the statue find in Albania) Created by special tailors, this garment measured up to 40 yards around and was made of white linen panels which were covered with fat for waterproofing. A short, richly decorated jacket worn over a full-sleeved white shirt, embroidered leggings or white stockings, a sash and fez completed the outfit. Depending on the social status of the wearer, materials used in fabricating the Fustanella (thereby defining the number of pleats) ranged fromcoarse linen or woolen cloth for villagers to luxurious silks for the more affluent. The Hungarian sociologist, Baron Nopcsa, believed that the Albanian/ Illyrian Kilt became the original pattern for the Roman military dress, and, because of its similarity to the Celtic Kilt, he also theorized that the Roman legions in Britain, through the presence of its Illyrian element (especially solders), probably started the fashion among the Celts (is interesting to note that the Celtic word for Scotland is Alban). Lord Byron, in Childe Harolds Pilgrimage observed the Albanian kilt to the knee, and T.S. Finlay in his Travels through Greece and Albania states unequivocally declare that it was the fame of the Albanians which induced the modern greeks to adopt (appropriate) the Albanian Kilt as their national costume. History of Greek Revolution by George Finlay (1860) Also See: -The Albanians and Their Territories pages 164-166, 8 Nentori Publishing House, Tirana, 1985, - Faik Konitzas Albania: Rock Garden of Southeastern Europe Pages 81-90. - Lord Byron Works of Lord Byron: With His Letters and Journals, and His Life; Peloponnessos, Greece (1830) Albanian warriors introduced the foustanella into the Peloponnese region. The Koundouriotis family, which produced the first President of the Greek Republic, was Albanian, like many of Idra's early settlers, who fled here from the Turks in the 15th century. Despite popular mistrust of the Albanians today in the face of a new wave of immigration, elements of Albania have penetrated into Greek culture: the Fustanella/ Kilt that's a part of the formal attire of Greek soldiers is based on Albanian fighting gear, and is sometimes referred to as the "Albanian kilt"