The Open court . greater degree of con-tempt for the female sex than is usual even among the most bar-barous nations. The females are literally regarded as inferior ani-mals, and treated accordingly; but in the country districts they arenot confined or veiled, as is customary in Mohammedan countries. The national costume of the Albanians is handsome in appear-ance, and bears some resemblance to the Highland dress. It consistsof a cotton shirt; a white woolen fustancUa or kilt, which reaches tothe knees ; a jacket; a sash round the waist, in which pistols and a 76 THE OPEN COURT. yataghan are c
The Open court . greater degree of con-tempt for the female sex than is usual even among the most bar-barous nations. The females are literally regarded as inferior ani-mals, and treated accordingly; but in the country districts they arenot confined or veiled, as is customary in Mohammedan countries. The national costume of the Albanians is handsome in appear-ance, and bears some resemblance to the Highland dress. It consistsof a cotton shirt; a white woolen fustancUa or kilt, which reaches tothe knees ; a jacket; a sash round the waist, in which pistols and a 76 THE OPEN COURT. yataghan are commonly carried; colored leggings; sandals; and ared cap, round which some twist a shawl or scarf. The chiefs and wealthy Albanians generally wear a jacket andvest of velvet, richly embroidered with gold, and metal greaves overtheir leggings which are usually made of fine scarlet cloth. The poorer classes, though picturesque in appearance, are ex-tremely dirty in their habits, and seldom change their clothes. As. DISTINGUISHED ALBANIANS OF THE HOTTI TRIBE. a protection from the weather, every Albanian has a capote, or roughshaggy mantle with a hood attached, and usually made of horse-hair stuff or coarse woolen cloth. The dress of the females is more various, and often singular custom prevails among the girls of stringing togetherthe pieces of money which they have collected for their portion, andwearing them upon their heads. Some of them have their hair hang- ALBANIA. 77 ing down in braids to a great length, loaded with this species ofornament. One feature in the appearance of the Albanians which is fre-quently remarked by travelers is the tuft of hair on top of the is a saying that the strong development of the hair on thecrown is an indication of a bad or headstrong boy, and if there isany truth in this idea it decidedly shows in the Albanian race. The Albanians have played an important part in the develop- f^
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade188, booksubjectreligion, bookyear1887
