Traditional Dress of Teti

Historical background and roots of tradition

Teti is a village in the Barbagia di Ollolai, in the province of Nuoro, set at 714 metres on the north-western foothills of the Gennargentu massif, in a forested landscape crossed by the Tino River, which flows into the artificial Cucchinadorza lake. The name is most plausibly derived from the Logudorese Sardinian titione, the local term for sarsaparilla (Smilax aspera), a thorny climbing plant of the Mediterranean scrub; an alternative theory traces it to Tete, a legendary chief of the Illesi, an ancient indigenous people of Sardinia. The village is home to the Sanctuary of Abini, a major nuragic site whose hundreds of bronze statuettes are now held at the National Archaeological Museum of Cagliari.

Wedding dress

Su muccadore, the brown tibet-fabric headscarf, is square and hand-embroidered with polychrome floral motifs; it is worn folded into a triangle with the ends crossed under the chin and secured inside at ear level.

At the bodice, sa camisa, the white cotton shirt, features cutwork embroidery on the chest and embroidered cuffs; the collar is fastened with gold sheet-and-filigree buttons. Su cosso, the bodice in blue polychrome floral brocade, is edged with a pink ribbon in floral-patterned silk; the back displays a heart motif worked in a pleated red satin ribbon, while the front laces closed with a crossed cord. Su zippone, the short jacket in black broadcloth, is edged with a pink satin ribbon and enriched on the back with embroidery in multi-coloured cotton threads; the cuffs are lined inside with blue floral brocade, and the jacket, having no fastenings, remains open at the front.

Sa veste, the black broadcloth skirt, is fully pleated except for the front panel covered by the apron; it is enriched with a wide band of figured black silk and two narrower bands of pale-blue and pink silk, with stitching in multi-coloured cotton threads. Completing the dress is su odale, the black embroidered tulle apron.

Men’s festive dress

The men’s festive dress consists of sa berritta, the black broadcloth cap; sa camisa, the white cotton shirt; su cossu, the black velvet vest; and su gabbanu, the black orbace coat.

It is completed by sos caltzones, the white cotton trousers; sas ragas, the black broadcloth kilt; and sas caltzas, the black broadcloth gaiters.