Traditional Dress of Tempio Pausania

Historical background and roots of tradition

Tempio Pausania, known in Gallurese as Tèmpiu, is the granite city that dominates the northern Gallura, in the province of Sassari. The name derives from the Latin templum, referring to an ancient pagan place of worship possibly dedicated to Hera; the medieval toponym Templo evolved into the modern Tempio, to which in 1879 the suffix Pausania was added to evoke the forgotten diocese of Phausania, a vanished settlement situated near Olbia. The traditional dress of Tempio is distinguished by its elegance and by the uniqueness of the faldetta cupaltata, the skirt that transforms into a headdress.

Women’s festive dress

On the head is worn a white square cotton scarf, folded into a triangle to gather the hair and tied at the nape of the neck. Framing the face is l’elu, the white square lace veil, pinned on one side. The most distinctive headdress is, however, the faldetta cupaltata: a genuine black panno skirt, fully pleated and finished with a brocade silk flounce, which can be worn normally over the legs or gathered and raised over the head as a mantle, covering the bust and head.

Lu gipponi, the black brocade silk jacket, is shaped with a central button fastening; the sleeves, slightly puffed, narrow towards the forearm and close with buttons. The faldetta, the black brocade silk skirt, is fully pleated except for the front panel.

Women’s daily dress

The everyday dress changes its colour palette and fabrics: on the head a red panno bonnet is worn together with a white cotton scarf (lu cenciu). The white cotton blouse is paired with lu curittu, the beige bodice in polychrome floral brocade, and lu jupponi, the red panno jacket. The skirt (faldetta) is also red in panno.

Men’s festive dress

La birritta, the black panno cap of tubular form with rounded edges, is about sixty centimetres long and is worn falling over one shoulder. La camisgia, the white cotton shirt, features embroidered collar and cuffs, with the fullness reduced by pleating; the cuffs are closed with gold buttons. Lu cansciu, the black panno waistcoat, is double-breasted and edged with velvet. Lu gabbanu, the short black orbace overcoat, is edged with black velvet.

The white cotton breeches reach mid-calf and are worn tucked into the gaiters. I raghi, the black orbace pleated short skirt, are edged with velvet and reach mid-thigh; a narrow strip of fabric joins the front and back sections, passing under the crotch of the breeches. I ghetti, the black panno gaiters, have a velvet fold at the top, cover the calf and end in a rounded shape partially concealing the shoes; they are fastened with a lace below the knee.

Men’s daily dress

The everyday dress keeps the basic structure: black panno cap, white cotton shirt, white breeches, black panno short skirt and black panno gaiters. The festive gabbanu is replaced by a red velvet jacket lined in blue cotton.