A tsarouchi (; plural: τσαρούχια, transliterated ; from Turkish ''çarık'') is a type of

shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but ...

, which is typically known nowadays as part of the traditional

uniform A uniform is a variety of costume worn by members of an organization while usually participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency serv ...

worn by the

Evzones The Evzones or Evzonoi (, ) were a type of light infantry units in the Hellenic Army. Today, they are the members of the Presidential Guard (), a ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier () and the Presidential Mansion ...

of the Greek Presidential Guard.

Description

Their origin is obscure and goes back to the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

time, with influences from styles imported by neighbouring tribes, including the

Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic lang ...

. Originally, various types of similar shoes were worn all over the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

, but ''tsarouchia'' are mainly associated with the

Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...

. They were the most common footwear worn by both urban and rural Greeks, mainly men, but also many women. After the Greek independence in early 19th century, their use was limited to isolated rural areas and nomadic populations, seen by westernised urbanites as a sign of uncouthness and backwardness. In a version with reinforced sole, they remained the issue boot for the

Evzone The Evzones or Evzonoi (, ) were a type of light infantry units in the Hellenic Army. Today, they are the members of the Presidential Guard (), a ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier () and the Presidential Mansion ...

units well into the 20th century, though after the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

were gradually replaced in active service by the standard laced boot. ''Tsarouciia'' provide a clear link with the origin of the Evzone uniform in the traditional Greek costume, and with the fact that Evzones were largely enlisted from rural mountainous regions of Greece. Nowadays they are almost exclusively used by the presidential guard and in various traditional festivals and dances along with other traditional Greek garments. ''Tsarouchia'' are typically made of a number of pieces of stiff leather hand-sewn together, in the

moccasin A moccasin is a shoe, made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole (made with leather that has not been "worked") and sides made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp (additional pane ...

fashion. They have a characteristic upturned toe, usually covered by a large woolen

pompon A pom-pom – also spelled pom-pon, pompom or pompon – is a decorative ball or tuft of fibrous material. The term may refer to large tufts used by cheerleaders, or a small, tighter ball attached to the top of a hat, also known as ...

, which often occurs in Turkey as well. The latter was a relatively late addition, originally a way of making the shoe's toe waterproof, but increasingly becoming an essential feature of their decoration. Simpler versions also exist, made from one piece of leather held in shape with thongs (a very common type found everywhere in the Balkans and Anatolia, e.g.,

Opanak Opanci are traditional peasant shoes worn in Southeastern Europe (specifically Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and also Romania and Albania). The attributes of the opanci (name in plural) are a con ...

or Charvuli) and without any decoration. Tsarouchis (Τσαρούχης) is also a Greek surname, with

Yannis Tsarouchis Yannis Tsarouchis (; 13 January 1910 – 20 July 1989) was a Greek modernist painter and set designer who achieved international fame, and was "known in particular for his homoerotic subjects," including soldiers, sailors, and nude males. Biogra ...

being the most famous person bearing it.

Aromanians The Aromanians () are an Ethnic groups in Europe, ethnic group native to the southern Balkans who speak Aromanian language, Aromanian, an Eastern Romance language. They traditionally live in central and southern Albania, south-western Bulgari ...

from Balkans have a similar word for shoes, "tsâruhi". Countryside tsâruhi were made out of leather piece.

References

Military uniforms Shoes Greek clothing Folk footwear Historical footwear {{Greece-mil-stub

Description

See also

References