Books: Textiles from Cyprus by Dr. Eleni Papademetriou

Dr Eleni Papademetriou’s Textiles from Cyprus offers a richly detailed account of the island’s textile heritage, shaped by the natural environment, deep-rooted social customs, and a way of life that, in many parts of the island, has been irrevocably altered by war, migration, and modernity.

Born in Karavas, Kyrenia, Papademetriou is a respected ethnographer, philologist, and photographer, whose career has focused on documenting and preserving Cypriot cultural traditions. Her published work spans costume, woodcraft, glazed pottery, and silk production - each a vital thread in the island’s cultural tapestry.

Textiles from Cyprus by Dr. Eleni Papademetriou

In Textiles from Cyprus, Papademetriou turns her lens to the vivid world of cloth, embroidery, and dress, tracing how textiles have functioned as both everyday essentials and forms of cultural expression. Between 1971 and 1974, she travelled across the regions of Cyprus documenting customs and techniques that were rapidly disappearing. Her observations captured the diversity of local traditions: the intricate lefkaritika embroidery of Lefkara, the bold, geometric fidkiotika of Paphos, and the silk weaving of Geroskipou’s now-closed Metaksourgeio factory.

Papademetriou’s writing evokes the textures, colours, and symbolism of Cyprus - from the dark vraka trousers of rural men to the shimmering silks, striped skirts, and embroidered sashes worn by brides and festival-goers - markers of identity, skill, and continuity, handed down through generations.

Dr Eleni Papademetriou has kindly shared an extract from her book, which you can enjoy below:

Textiles From Cyprus by Eleni Papademetriou: Pages 17 - 19

The Weavers and Embroiderers

Cyprus, the sunny island in the Mediterranean, is traversed by two mountain ranges: the low, undulating Pentadactylos range along the length of the north coast and the irregular mass of Troodos in the centre.

Tsevre silk embroidery on a girdle. Photo: E Papademetriou.

These ranges form the borders of the fertile coastal belts and treeless plains, where farmers, cattle-raisers, craftsmen and small traders lived. Their income was unsteady, vulnerable to the unpredictable weather conditions and drought, which often scourged the island. The women, who undertook al the household tasks, created some of the most beautiful textiles and embroideries. These were prepared, mainly, for their trousseau but also provided supplementary income for the slender family budget.

Old Lefkara embroiderer using a pillow to stretch the cloth. Lefkara, 1960. Photo: Press and Information Office

The strictly traditional society of Cyprus expected women to have little freedom of movement and to confine themselves to the house. The poorest helped their husbands with farming and animal husbandry, but only occasionally left their community to go to a fair, social event or a wedding in another village. A woman would spend her day on the verandah overlooking the enclosed yard, looking after the house and the children, of whom there were often many. Her workload was heavy and included bringing water from the spring, baking bread and often helping her husband in his work.

It would be difficult, therefore, to find time to weave and embroider. And yet this was a social necessity, since every girl had to prepare her trousseau. She began work on it at about the age of eight to ten and continued until her marriage and for almost al her life. She would be taught by her mother and other women in the family to prepare the raw material, to weave on the loom and to embroider. She would copy the old textiles that were around her in every place, every village. These made up the artistic repertoire which was handed down from generation to generation. The textiles and the embroideries would be unfolded and ceremoniously displayed at the bride's house during the wedding for the whole community to appreciate and admire. Then they were lovingly folded and kept in the chest or cupboard until they were used again for some celebration or wedding.

Couching embroidery of felt patches, cotton and gilt cord on a cotton sayia. Karpass, 19th century.

The time it took for the essential items for the dowry to be prepared depended on the time available, which was much less for a married woman with children than for a younger, unmarried girl. For example: to weave a bedspread and embroider it with the white Lefkara embroidery took about two years. Most women wove and embroidered during the winter, when outside jobs were fewer, or in the evenings.

Women's Clothes

In the various areas of the island, women's clothes had their differences in material, cut and embroidery. There was relative uniformity and standardisation of dress in rural areas, while dress in the towns, being less conservative, assimilated foreign influences more easily. The position of the women was ascertained by the colour and embroidery of her dress. For example, a married woman wore sober and darker clothes than a young girl. 

Cotton gown sayia with coloured bands. Karpass, 1968. Photo: E Papademetriou

Women's dress is based on the materials and tradition of each region. In general terms, the variety of the island's costumes is mainly shown by the material and less by the decoration. The weaver creates delightful combinations using only a few colours - white, red, blue, green and yellow - with stripes that alternate or are crossed at the warp and weft with bands, denser at the edges. In some regions similar material might be used for a costume but its local characteristics are given by the cut and decoration.

Men's silk cap embroidered with coloured beads. Karpass, 19th century

Words by Eleni Papademetriou.

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Further Information:

Textiles from Cyprus by Eleni Papademetriou can be purchased here.

Image Credits: 

Lead Image: Festive Karpass costume consisted of cotton gown, sayia, silk chemise, log embroidered drawers, cotton cape and jewellery. Image featured on Page 18 of Textiles from Cyprus by Eleni Papademetriou.