Project Cubbins: Hat 236 -- A Tubeteika Up Top Edition

Clockwise from left, me in the tubeteika, the interior, and the exterior -- in partially folded mode.

Day 236 / Hat 236: Black layered paper and fabric tubeteika with white embroidered detail on exterior and black, red and green floral patterned fabric interior, It comes to the Project from our Moscow-based donor Stephen Konigsberg (who also provided PC 232 (aka the "Bath Hat Edition".)

Of it, Steve says: "[It's an] Uzbeki tyumbotyeka. They are sold everywhere for like 2-3 U.S. dollars. Very typical of Central Asia lidwear." He referred me to several websites, the most comprehensive of which, Oriental Express of Central Asia, describes it as the Uzbek national headgear and explains that the name derived from the Turkish word meaning "a top, a summit."

Here's an excerpt from the site:

"The most common form of the Uzbek tubeteika is tetrahedral and slightly conical. Such a form is assumed due to the special method of folding the cap right after the making of it has been finished. Tubeteikas are made of two or more layers of fabrics, all quilted and stuck with silk or cotton threads. In most cases, ready-made caps would be embroidered with silk, or gold or silver threads."

As a little geopolitical refresher (I confess, I needed one) the Republic of Uzbekistan is a Central Asian country that was part of the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1991. (A fun piece of trivia: apparently Uzbekistan is one of only two "doubly landlocked" countries in the world -- a country that is completely surrounded by other landlocked countries. Can you name the other one?)

The aforementioned site also notes that the tubeteika is also  worn by other peoples in Central Asia (including Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey) and that there are different types for different ages and genders.

"The tubeteika is divided into types for men, women, children (for boys, girls, and babies), and old men. Old women don't wear the headgear. Children's tubeteikas (called "kulokcha, kalpokcha, duppi, kulupush") differ in the variety of materials and colours, in cap bands, fluffiness of tassels and balls made of silk or paper threads, in patterns embroidered, spangles and number of amulets".


So a tip of the tubeteika to Steve for the sweet lid and golf clapa to Uzbekistan for having something as awesome as a national headgear!


Related:
PC 235: Fly Like an Eagle
PC 234: I, of the Tschornado
PC 233: Montana Moose

Q: OK, nice hat -- but what exactly is Project Cubbins, anyway?

A: One man's homage to Dr. Seuss and his second book, "The 500 Hats of Bartholemew Cubbins," which is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its publication in 2013, Project Cubbins is an attempt to document the wearing of a different hat or piece of headgear every day for 500 consecutive days. No do-aheads, no banking of hats, no retroactive entries. PC started on May 27, 2013 with Hat 1. 
Got hats? If you loan 'em, you'll get e'm back safe and sound!