Historical background and roots of tradition
Orosei, known in Sardinian as Orosèi (historically attested in the Middle Ages also as Urisè), is a coastal village in the Baronia, in the province of Nuoro. Overlooking the Gulf of Orosei, the town has a well-preserved medieval historic centre and over twenty-five kilometres of coastline; in the Middle Ages it was an important port under Pisan control.
Women’s dress
The traditional women’s dress of Orosei is the vestire de isposa, the bridal dress, worn on the most solemn occasions. On the head is placed the velu (veil): a white square of floral lace, entirely edged with fine lace trim. It is worn folded into a triangle with the ends loose, pinned with a gold lamina and filigree brooch fastened to a headband.
Beneath it, the copribustu (undershirt) is white cotton with embroidery along the neckline. The camisa (shirt) in white cotton has finely embroidered neckline, chest, and cuffs: starched and pressed into small pleats on the chest, with the fullness of the fabric gathered at the wrists and neckline into embroidered pleating with stylised geometric motifs. It is fastened at the neck with two large buttones in gold lamina and filigree; a few brooches are pinned to the chest.
The zustillu (bodice) is white polychrome floral-pattern silk, entirely edged with red satin braid and laced at the front with a red ribbon. Over this is worn the zippone (short jacket) in magenta red floral-pattern silk, edged with purple satin braid on the front and cuffs and dark braid on the back. It has no fastenings and features a small slit at the cuff; the lining is polychrome floral-printed cotton.
The vardetta de sutta (underskirt) is white cotton with lace applied along the hem. The vardetta (skirt) in magenta red figured silk is entirely pleated except for the front panel, edged with a white cotton band woven with polychrome floral motifs. The scarpas (shoes) are black leather court shoes.
Men’s dress
The men’s everyday dress consists of the berritta, the black cloth cap; the camisa, the white cotton shirt; and the imbustu, the red cloth waistcoat edged with a blue ribbon — the distinctive element of Orosei compared to surrounding villages. Over this is worn a short black orbace overcoat. White cotton trousers (cartzones de tela) fall beneath the black orbace kilt (cartzones de uresi). Black orbace gaiters (cartzas) cover the lower legs. The chintorja is a fine leather and brocade belt.
Jewelry & Accessories
The jewellery of the Orosei women’s dress is in worked gold and coral. The buttones in gold lamina and filigree fasten the shirt at the neck. The spilla de conca, a star-shaped brooch in gold lamina and filigree, is pinned to the veil. The cara de coraddu is a gold-and-coral pendant worn on a black velvet ribbon around the neck. The necklace is in gold filigree and coral.
