Lika cap

The Lika cap (Croatian: Lička kapa, Serbian Cyrillic: Личка капа), also known as kićanka ("tassel"), is an important cultural symbol of the Lika region in Croatia, part of the Lika national costume, traditionally worn by local Croats and Serbs. The cap is cylinder-shaped with a flat top in red colour and the sides are black, and a black tassels often hangs down the back.

According to Supičić and Ivančević the Lika cap is a derivation of the Iapode headgear; During the Bronze Age, the Iapodes used a bronze sheet as the base of their cap, which was lined with textile or leather, and attached with a bronze fringe. Of all short round caps, the Lika cap is the nearest to the caps seen on Illyrian bronze fragments. The Slavic settlers adopted part of native Iapode culture, and part of their dress, such as the cap.

During Habsburg rule over Croatia, the Austrians created buffer territories against the Ottoman Turks called the Croatian Military Frontier. Here they created a military police unit who were called the Seressaner (from the Latin meaning "tent dwellers"), made up of men from prosperous Lika families. In Kordun, part of the Military Frontier, the Austrian military dress subsequently became part of the folk costume, however, the Lika cap was later adopted instead of the Austrian military cap. The Serbs of White Carniola adopted the cap.

The hajduks of Lika are said to have used this cap when fighting the Ottoman Turks. The regional origins of the cap demonstrates its affinity with other Dinaric styles, such as the Montenegrin cap and Šibenik cap. The Coat of arms of Croatia (šahovnica) is often adorned on the cap, while some older versions have repoussé designs on them. They are now worn mainly at festivals in full costume as well as national dances.

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Wikipedia