Christening caps from the collection of the Vysočina Museum in Pelhřimov in a wider cultural and historical context

Abstract

The baptismal cap was the most decorative and costly part of the baptismal garment. It was often given to the mother of the newborn by the grandmother or godmother and often passed down through generations. In families, caps were kept as a precious memento of the earliest period of the childs life, and the reinforced form of many of them undoubtedly contributed to thein preservation. A not very extensive, but nevertheless interesting collection of caps is kept in the Vysočina Museum in Pelhřimov. When examined, it proved necessary to place them in a broader historical and cultural context. The introductory chapters are therefore devoted to the connection between the use of the baptismal cap and the hooded garment, while the next part is devoted primarily to the question of the protective elements that were applied to these headdresses. Due to the abundance of preserved knitted and crocheted caps, one of the chapters also deals with the aforementioned techniques, especially the lace type of knitting. In the last chapter, selected pieces from the Pelhřimov collection are presented, the description of which usually also refers to more general topics related to baptismal caps.