Traditional Dress of Seneghe

Historical background and roots of tradition

Seneghe, known in Sardinian as Sèneghe, is a village in the Montiferru region, in the province of Oristano. The settlement lies on the eastern slope of the Montiferru massif at 305 metres above sea level, and its territory preserves numerous nuraghe remains and prehistoric Bronze Age settlements.

Women’s dress

The head is covered by two overlapping headscarves: the scuffiottu, a square red cotton headscarf, is folded into a triangle, gathers the hair and is tied behind the nape; the muncadore, a white hand-embroidered tulle square with floral motifs, is also folded into a triangle with the ends left free.

On the bodice is worn the camisa a sonette, a white linen shirt with satin-stitch embroidery on the collar, chest and cuffs, and a characteristic pleating at the wrists and neckline — the traditional a sonette pleating is achieved by immersing the sleeves in hot water, stretching them over an asphodel basket and then folding the pleats by hand. The imbustu, a green brocatelle corselet edged with black velvet, is laced at the front with a green ribbon.

The skirt, bunnedda, is red in woollen cloth, entirely pleated except for the front panel — covered by the apron and fastened with small buttons — and features a wide flounce in white patterned silk, s’arrasigliu, edged with gold galloon. The apron, pannedda, is black in satin woven with floral motifs, edged with black lace and finished with gold passementerie.

Men’s dress

The men’s outfit comprises the berritta, a black woollen cap; the camisa, a white cotton shirt; the cosso, a black double-breasted velvet waistcoat; the cappotteddu a cuidera, a black orbace jacket with velvet sleeves; and the cartzones, black woollen trousers.

Jewelry & Accessories

The cannacca ’e coraddu is a gold and red coral necklace from the early twentieth century.