Suelli

The Traditional Dress of Suelli

Suelli, known in Sardinian as Sueddi, is a village in the Trexenta, in the metropolitan area of Cagliari. The territory covers around 19 km² at an altitude of 256 metres above sea level and preserves several nuragic structures that attest to a very ancient human presence. The origin of the place name is uncertain: the most widely accepted hypotheses connect it to the Latin Suellius, the name of an ancient landed estate, or to Sardinian roots related to pig farming (sue/sus); a third, minority interpretation traces it to the Phoenician word sciual, meaning “fox”, owing to the local wildlife.

Women’s festive dress

On the head is worn su muncadori, the white square cotton scarf, folded into a triangle to gather the hair and tied at the nape of the neck. Su sciallu, the black square tibet-cloth shawl — the example shown here dates from the late nineteenth century — is hand-embroidered with polychrome floral motifs and enriched with macramé-worked fringe along the edges; it is worn folded into a triangle with the ends loose.

Sa camisa, the white cotton blouse, is pleated across the chest and decorated with embroidery on both the chest and the cuffs; it was usually knee-length and more or less low-necked depending on the occasion. Su cossettu, the black bodice in polychrome floral brocatelle, is edged with a red cotton ribbon and laced at the front with a crossover tie.

S’unnedda, the red and blue abodrau cotton skirt, is fully pleated except for the front panel covered by the apron. Su deventali, the black tibet-cloth apron, is embroidered along the hem with polychrome floral motifs.

Men’s daily dress

Sa berritta, the black cloth cap of tubular form with rounded edges, is about sixty centimetres long; it is left to fall over one shoulder and is held in place by a red printed-cotton kerchief wrapped around the forehead. Sa camisa, the white cotton shirt, is pleated at the front and decorated with embroidery on the cuffs; collar and cuffs are closed with silver buttons. Su cropettu, the black cloth waistcoat, is double-breasted.

Sos cratzonis, the white cotton breeches, reach mid-calf and are worn tucked into the gaiters. Sas bragas, the black cloth pleated short skirt, is edged with bordeaux velvet and reaches mid-thigh; a narrow strip of fabric joins the front and back sections, passing under the crotch of the breeches. Sas cratzas, the black cloth gaiters, have a folded-over top edge and are edged with bordeaux velvet; they cover the calf, end in a rounded shape partially concealing the shoes, and are fastened with a lace below the knee.