An ayam (아얌) is a
Korea
Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...
n traditional winter
cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...
mostly worn by women in the
Joseon period (1392 – 1910) for protection against the cold. It is also called ''aegeom'' which literally means "covering a forehead" in
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean
**Korean dialects
**See also: North–South differences in t ...
. There is a historical record which mentions that officials in a low class called ' (이서, ) wore ''ayam'' in the early Joseon period, so it was a unisex cap. However, it is not clear whether the shape at that time was identical to that of the later period. During the late Joseon period, an ''ayam'' was usually worn by female commoners. Especially in the western part of Korea, ''
kisaeng
''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...
'' (female Korean entertainers) commonly wore an ''ayam'', and they were also worn as a simple formal
headgear
Headgear, headwear, or headdress is any element of clothing which is worn on one's Human head, head, including hats, helmets, turbans and many other types. Headgear is worn for many purposes, including protective clothing, protection against t ...
.
Composition
The ''ayam'' generally consists of ' (모부, a crown) and ' (드림) which are shaped like ' (댕기) or a big ribbon. The upper 4–5 cm part of the ''mobu'' is finely
quilt
A quilt is a multi-layered textile, traditionally composed of two or more layers of fabric or fiber. Commonly three layers are used with a filler material. These layers traditionally include a woven cloth top, a layer of padding, batting or w ...
ed, the vertical line of the front shorter than the back's. On the bottom edge, the front part is more curved than the back. In addition, the vertical lines of the front and back are a little curvy, so that, when wearing an ''ayam'', it fits well to one's head. Black or purple silk is used for the upper quilted part of the outer fabric, while black or dark brown fur is used for the rest of the '. The fabric for the inner is red cotton
flannel
Flannel is a soft woven fabric, of varying fineness. Flannel was originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now often made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fiber. Flannel is commonly used to make tartan clothing, blankets, ...
.
The
tassel
A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric and clothing decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe.
History and use
In the Hebrew Bible, the Lord spoke to Moses instructing him to ...
attached to the upper center of both front and back is mostly red in color and the strings connected from both sides are all flat
braid
A braid (also referred to as a plait; ) is a complex structure or pattern formed by interlacing three or more strands of flexible material such as textile yarns, wire, or hair.
The simplest and most common version is a flat, solid, three-strand ...
s. However, some ''ayam'' worn by ' were very luxuriously adorned with big and sumptuous jewels, such as
jade
Jade is an umbrella term for two different types of decorative rocks used for jewelry or Ornament (art), ornaments. Jade is often referred to by either of two different silicate mineral names: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in t ...
,
amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin. Examples of it have been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since the Neolithic times, and worked as a gemstone since antiquity."Amber" (2004). In Maxine N. Lurie and Marc Mappen (eds.) ''Encyclopedia ...
, or
orpiment
Orpiment, also known as ″yellow arsenic blende″ is a deep-colored, orange-yellow arsenic sulfide mineral with formula . It is found in volcanic fumaroles, low-temperature hydrothermal veins, and hot springs and may be formed through sublimatio ...
, on the tassels of both sides.
There are two types of ' hung on the back of ''ayam''. One is made with two sheets of fabric in a 9–10 cm width which are linked together lightly. The other is made of one sheet of fabric in an 18–20 cm width, with the center folded. On the center line of the ' are decorations of jade, amber, and others gems, and the length is usually over 100 cm. The ''ayam'' worn for spring and autumn has the same shape as the one for winter, but it is made of a lighter silk.
Expression
The Korean expression " (아양떨다)" which means to flatter or to perform
aegyo to look cute around the people, originated from the act of shaking the "ayam".
See also
*
List of hat styles
Hats have been common throughout the history of humanity, present on some of the very earliest preserved human bodies and art. Below is a list of various kinds of contemporary or traditional hat.
List
See also
*List of headgear
References
...
*
Hanbok
The hanbok () is the traditional clothing of the Koreans, Korean people. The term ''hanbok'' is primarily used by South Koreans; North Koreans refer to the clothes as (). The clothes are also worn in the Korean diaspora. Koryo-saram—ethnic Ko ...
*
Hwagwan
''Hwagwan'' () is a Korean traditional style of coronet worn by women, traditionally for ceremonial occasions such as weddings. It is similar to the ''jokduri'' in shape and function, but the ''hwagan'' is more elaborate.
The hwagwan is slightly ...
*
Jokduri
A () is a type of traditional Korean coronet worn by women for special occasions such as weddings. Also known as a or , it consists of an outer crown covered with black silk, and an inner which is filled with cotton and hard paper. Its top is d ...
*
Jobawi
*
List of Korean clothing
refers to the traditional clothing of Korea. This is a list of Korean clothing including the national costume, hanbok, as well as headgear, footwear, and accessories.
''Hanbok''
Headgear
Footwear
Accessories
See also
* White clothing ...
*
Mob cap
A mobcap (or mob cap or mob-cap) is a round, gathered or pleated cloth (usually linen) bonnet consisting of a caul to cover the hair, a frilled or ruffled brim, and (often) a ribbon band, worn by married women in the 18th and early 19th centuries ...
*
Tubeteika
References
*{{cite book, title=Research on Korean Costume (한국복식사연구) , author=Yu Hui-gyeong (유희경, 柳喜卿) , publisher=
Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University () is a private women's research university in Seoul, South Korea. It was originally founded as Ewha Haktang on May 31, 1886, by missionary Mary F. Scranton. Currently, Ewha Womans University is one of the world's largest f ...
Publishing , year=1980 , language=ko
Korean headgear
Caps