Illustration: Embroidered trousers for a man.
It can be confusing to designate exactly where Carpathia is and who indeed are the Carpathians. The Carpathian Mountains themselves are an area of eastern Europe that straddle parts of present day Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine and Romania, but for a number of centuries it was seen as being an integral part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire being the northern border of Hungary. Although Carpathia itself does not exist as a political entity, as a cultural area it does have some integrity.
Carpathia has a long, rich, and diverse embroidery history, taking in and re-using the contacts and cultural craft skills of the diverse population that makes up the area. The ethnic makeup of the general area of Carpathia has always been incredibly rich and complex. Throughout its history, the area has been home to Hungarians, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Russians, Jews, Germans, Roma, Czechs, Romanians, Greeks, and Armenians. From this patchwork of peoples, it is understandable how rich and layered the craft skills of the area truly are.
Illustration: The Carpathian Mountains.
Interestingly Carpathia is one of the few areas of Europe where men are involved in embroidery. It has a long tradition of male embroiderers who were seen as professionals rather than amateurs. They produced ever more complex and detailed embroidered embellishment work for male coats and trousers. These were to be seen externally and so there was always an element of genuine pride in the skilled work that had been achieved, but inevitably, there was also an element of male posturing. Shirt embroidery, on the other hand, was less noticeable and so was therefore produced by women, usually on an amateur basis by a member of a family, rather than at a professional level.
Illustration: Pasul Bran, Romania.
It is difficult to trace the source of all the elements that go to make up Carpathian embroidery design and decorative work. In an area of Europe that has managed to maintain a relatively ethnically diverse population, compared to the rest of the continent, this task is made all the more confusing and complex. However, rather than trying to literally and culturally unpick the threads that go to make up Carpathian embroidery, it is probably best to celebrate the many peoples and cultures that make Carpathian embroidery the astonishing feast for the eyes that it is today.
I am including some links to the general area of the Carpathian Mountains. Anyone wishing to visit this fascinating and extraordinary part of Europe, or just to learn more about the area should take a look at the Reference links section below.
Further reading links:
Romanian Carpathian Mountains
Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains
Romanian Carpathians imagery
Ukrainian Carpathians imagery
The Complete International Book of Embroidery
Embroidered Textiles: A World Guide to Traditional Patterns
Treasures from the Embroiderers' Guild Collection
