Historical background and roots of tradition
Bitti, Vitzi or Bitzi in Sardinian, is a town in the Barbagia, in the province of Nuoro. The name may derive from the Sardinian word for the fallow deer, or from the Latin vincti («defeated»). The settlement’s origins date back to Roman times, with the town already recorded as a curatoria of the Giudicato di Gallura around 1170. Rich colours and fine fabrics set apart the traditional dress of Bitti, the birthplace of the politician Giorgio Asproni and world-famous for its tenore polyphonic singing, a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.
Women’s dress
In the bridal dress, s’este, the head is covered by s’issallinu, a square black-and-red shawl in patterned silk with fringed edges, worn folded into a triangle and fastened to the hairstyle — the hair gathered into a bun called su curcuddu — with pins; or by su muccatore, a fine wool kerchief embroidered with floral motifs in gold thread. Sa camisa, white in cotton, is enriched with needle and cutwork embroidery, its fullness reduced by pleating on the chest, armholes and cuffs decorated with su coro, geometric motifs woven with black thread through the weft; the starched cuffs turn outward and the collar closes with two gold filigree buttons, sos buttones. Su solopattu, the yellow-orange wool bodice, features appliqués of patterned blue velvet and white-striped velvet (su bullu), finished with polychrome silk embroidery in English stitch (puntu rizzu) alternating small semicircles (sas aveddas) and little arrows (sas ispattedas); on the back, an ear-of-wheat appliqué brings good fortune; semi-rigid in structure, it closes at the front with hooks and, being lined, can be worn on either side. Su curittu, the shaped red wool jacket reaching the waist, has appliqués of patterned velvet in various shades of green and magenta silk; the sleeves, open from armpit to elbow to let the shirt show through, end in a slit at the wrist; reversible, it shows s’ala vona on the right side and s’ala de s’iffake on the reverse. Underneath, s’uresi ’e tela, the white cotton underskirt gathered at the waist, has a cutwork-embroidered flounce; s’uresi, the black wool skirt, is densely pleated (a ghiriones) except for the front panel — the section fitting the hips, s’intenta, is stiffened and covered in patterned velvet — and may feature wide flounces in red wool and velvet, whose number once depended on social class, enriched with silk and velvet ribbons; the two side pockets, sas masculas, echo the same trimmings.
In the festive dress, su mesu este, the head is covered by a black-and-red kerchief in patterned satin with floral motifs, folded into a triangle with the ends crossed under the chin and fastened at ear height. Sa pettorina, the white cotton band-bodice, is fastened at the back with laces; its fullness at the neck, reduced by pleating embroidered with needle and cutwork in black thread geometric motifs (su coro), closes with gold filigree buttons. Su solopattu, similar to the bridal one, is yellow-orange wool with polychrome embroidery, closed with hooks and reversible, finished on the inside with a blue patterned velvet border. Sa gianchetta de vrennizzatu, the black patterned velvet jacket reaching the waist, is bordered with brown and black braid, enriched with gold floral trimmings and brown beads, with no buttoning. S’uresi, the black wool skirt, is pleated (a ghiriones) with the front panel finished by a gold braid and two flounces bordered with beige trimming, worn with the ring (s’aneddu) in gold and carnelian.
Men’s dress
In the bridal dress, sa berritta, the black wool cap, tubular with rounded edges and about 70 cm long, is worn folded and let fall behind the head. Sa camisa, white in cotton, has the collar, chest and cuffs enriched with drawn-thread, cutwork and filet embroidery, with the characteristic geometric pleating in black thread (su coro) and a gold filigree button closure. Su solopattu, the red wool bodice bordered in burgundy velvet and finished in English stitch (puntu rizzu), has blue velvet appliqués on the front and shoulders, while an ear-of-wheat appliqué on the back brings good fortune; it closes at the shoulder and on the left side with hooks. Su cappottu, black orbace, flared and reaching mid-thigh, with a hood, is bordered in black velvet on the cuffs, lapels and pockets, with no buttoning. In the festive dress, worn instead of the coat, a black velvet jacket replaces the cloak: bordered with black satin braid and finished with black braid on the pockets and lower hem, it has no buttoning and is very full at the bottom; the bodice colours also differ from the bridal dress.
Jewelry & Accessories
Among the jewels are sos buttones, gold filigree buttons set with turquoise; sa zodia, the gold filigree medallion with a mother-of-pearl inset depicting a sacred image, worn on a velvet ribbon or a gold chain; su vermagliu, the gold clasp with aquamarine and pendants; sa corona, the rosary in silver filigree and coral (or with mother-of-pearl beads) and a medallion in place of the crucifix; a gold necklace with a cameo, with distinctive links called is pizzettas; s’abbaneddu, the silver amulet with a central amber bead and coral pendants, worn against the evil eye; and s’asca de seta, the silk sash worn as a belt, embroidered in half-stitch with floral motifs.
