Cap `magierka`

A man's headgear, called ‘magierka’, ‘ślachmyca’, ‘żarna’ or ‘pończocha, i.e., night cap, worn with the Zamość festive outfit. It is round with a straight head and a cylindrical brim. The cap is knitted using the stocking technique from white wool, while the decorative motifs are made from blue, red and black wool. An egg-shaped cylinder closed on both sides was first knitted and then rolled to produce such a hat. Then one end was pressed inside, and the resulting double bag was modelled on a specific form or directly on the head. The presented cap has a bottom decorated with small dots forming three circles, arranged closely together, and the fourth one at more significant intervals. Two circles similarly decorated with dots are situated in the upper part of the cowl, while in the lower part, the pattern is formed, separated by a navy-blue stripe, by the motif of the letters v alternately placed next to each other in navy blue and red. The cap is characteristic of other outfits from the so-called Lesser Poland (Małopolska) group; it can be found, for example, in the Kraków and Rzeszów costumes. This specific type of cap, with a lower brim, was popularised by members of Karol Namysłowski's Włościańska Orkiestra (Władysłowska Orchestra), who performed in the Zamość outfit. It became a stage costume consisting of several elements of traditional clothing, i.e., a brown or white cloth, high boots and a cap, to which the musicians attached badges with the name of the orchestra on the front.