The Montenegrin cap () is a

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 ...

traditionally worn in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

by the

Montenegrins Montenegrins (, or ) are a South Slavic ethnic group that share a common ancestry, culture, history, and language, identified with the country of Montenegro. Montenegrins are mostly Orthodox Christians; however, the population also includes ...

and

Serbs of Montenegro Serbs of Montenegro () or Montenegrin Serbs (), compose native and the Demographics of Montenegro#Nationality/Ethnicity, second largest ethnic group in Montenegro (32.93% of country's population), after the Montenegrins (ethnic group), ethnic Mon ...

. It was introduced by Prince Bishop

Petar II Petrović-Njegoš Petar II Petrović-Njegoš ( sr-cyrl, Петар II Петровић-Његош, ; – ), commonly referred to simply as Njegoš (), was a List of rulers of Montenegro, Prince-Bishop (''vladika'') of Montenegro, poet and philosopher whose ...

in the mid-1840s as a replacement for the then-popular fez.

Design and symbolism

The cap is originally in the shape of a flat

cylinder A cylinder () has traditionally been a three-dimensional solid, one of the most basic of curvilinear geometric shapes. In elementary geometry, it is considered a prism with a circle as its base. A cylinder may also be defined as an infinite ...

, having a red upper surface (called ''tepelak'') not dissimilar to the

Herzegovina Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical Regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia (reg ...

and

Lika cap The Lika cap (), also known as ''kićanka'' ("tassel") or ''crvenkapa'' (lit. "red cap"), is an important cultural symbol of the Lika region in Croatia, part of the Lika national costume traditionally worn by local Croats and Serbs. It is cylinde ...

s. Prince-Bishop

wore it with a

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

rim (called ''derevija''), and the definition given was as a sign of grief of occupied

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

. The Kosovo Myth was very popular in Montenegro. The enforcement of the cap upon the Montenegrin chieftains by Prince-Bishop Petar II was a mark of expression of then's dominating Serbian national identity. The national telling recorded the most often version of the cap as following: the black wrapper was a sign of grief for their once great Serbian Empire, the red the symbol of spilled blood at the

Battle of Kosovo The Battle of Kosovo took place on 15 June 1389 between an army led by the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović and an invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Murad I. It was one of the largest battles of the Late Middl ...

and the five small stripes on the top represent the remaining remains of the once great Serbian realm, which became increasingly popular amongst the common folk during the reign of Prince Danilo I Petrović-Njegoš. Within the stripes is angled a six star, representing the last free part, Montenegro, shining upon the fallen and conquered. During the

Communist era A communist era is a sustained period of national government by a single party following the philosophy of Marxism–Leninism. Many countries have experienced such a period of communist rule. Current communist states China The Chinese Communist ...

in the second half of the 20th century instead of the

Serb cross The Serbian cross (), also known as the Firesteels (), is one of the National symbols of Serbia, national symbols of Serbia. It is present on the coat of arms of Serbia, coat of arms and flag of Serbia. The cross is based on a tetragrammic cross e ...

the Communist

Red Star A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. ...

was implanted between the golden stripes, although it was not spread amongst the people and never accepted. Several years ago a new version appeared with a large modern (2004)

Coat of Arms of Montenegro The coat of arms of Montenegro () was officially adopted by the law passed in the Assembly of Montenegro, Parliament on 12 July 2004. It is now the central motif of the flag of Montenegro, as well as the coat of arms of the Armed Forces of Monten ...

spread across the cap's red top, that is becoming increasingly popular as a sign of the Montenegrin nation's independence and sovereignty. A female version of the cap was introduced, so far worn almost exclusively by men.

History

The Montenegrin cap has a three-hundred-year history. A 1754 portrait of a Montenegrin from

Paštrovići The Paštrovići ( sh-Cyrl, Паштровићи, ; or ) is a historical tribe and region in the Montenegrin Littoral. Paštrovići stretches from the southernmost part of the Bay of Kotor, from the cape of Zavala to Spič. Its historical ca ...

is the oldest representation of the Montenegrin cap, with the Paštrovići variant of the cap being all-black in color. The first representation of the cap in its modern, two-colour variety (black and red) is found on an aquarelle from 1782.

Josef Holeček Josef Holeček may refer to: *Josef Holeček (canoeist) (1921–2005), Czech sprint canoeist *Josef Holeček (writer) (1853–1929), Czech writer {{hndis, Holecek, Josef ...

, on his journey through Montenegro in 1876, described a Montenegrin cap and its eagle motif. Mladen Zadrima, 2019, Crnogorska narodna nošnja kroz opise stranih putopisaca http://www.maticacrnogorska.me/files/78/21%20mladen%20zadrima%2078.pdf #page=389

Gallery

Image:Montenegrin priest before battle.jpg, A Montenegrin

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

Priest before battle wearing his cap, 1876 Image:11 Monteneginer.jpg, Montenegrin man, 19th Century Image:Montenegrin officers in national costumes, R. Wyon (1904).jpg, Officers of the

Royal Montenegrin Army The Royal Montenegrin Army (in Serbian/ Montenegrin: ''Војска Краљевине Црне Горе''; ''Vojska Kraljevine Crne Gore'') or the Army of the Kingdom of Montenegro, was the army of Kingdom of Montenegro. Creation of the army T ...

wearing their caps, 1904 Image:Montenegrin cap.jpg, Montenegrin cap with the

Serbian cross The Serbian cross (), also known as the Firesteels (), is one of the National symbols of Serbia, national symbols of Serbia. It is present on the coat of arms of Serbia, coat of arms and flag of Serbia. The cross is based on a tetragrammic cross e ...

Image:Montenegrin caps of Queen Milena and King Nikola.jpg, These richly adorned caps were worn by King Nikola I (right) and his queen, Milena Vukotić

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montenegrin Cap

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 ...

Caps Montenegro–Serbia relations Montenegrin nationalism Serbian nationalism National symbols of Montenegro History of the Serbs of Montenegro Cultural history of Montenegro

Design and symbolism

History

Gallery

See also

References