Publisher's Synopsis
From the Baltic to the Balkans, and from Siberia to the Caucasus, the lands covered in this volume contain a multitude of cultures with rich and distinctive dress and textile traditions. However, tradition has not been the only factor shaping dress in the region. The contrast between ethnic and urban dress provides a revealing lens through which to consider individual and cultural identities throughout. Attitudes toward dress have also been shaped by socialism and its demise, as the former "Eastern bloc" states have undergone massive upheaval. This landmark volume is the first major reference work to provide a comprehensive overview of dress within this vast and complex region. Broad surveys of individual countries are supplemented with case studies focusing more narrowly on people, practices, and objects to provide both range and depth. The long tradition of exquisite embroidery is highlighted. The volume also has articles on the influence of the Ottoman Empire on this part of Europe, a discussion of Roma dress, and a snapshot on Balkan bandits. A pioneering, major reference work, East Europe, Russia, and the Caucasus also places dress within the political and sociocultural contexts that have shaped people and nations in this region.
