Women's head-discs (tepeluk), Bulgaria

Woman's head-disc ('tepeluk') or hat ornament, silver alloy (?), decorated with a scene of the Nativity in repoussé in the centre, bordered with a fringe of leaf-shaped stamped droplets.

Text from Eth Doc 1836 (entry 265): This one is the same as Eu 1971,01.264. The tepeluk is a round plate with metal lamellae along the rim made of a cheap silver alloy and placed on top of the cylindrical woman's hat. End of the 19th century.Information supplementary to Eth Doc:
Worn sewn to a fez-like cap, so that the droplets swing to ward off the evil eye. For simlar examples, see Blagoeva and Veleva 1983, p. 136. The name tepeluk (singular) comes from the Turkish tepé (hill) because the discs are usually domed. It is a Muslim form, adapted in Bulgaria for Christian Orthodox use.For head discs worn as part of Turkish costume, see Umay Günay, 'Historical Costumes of Turkish Women', Istanbul 1986, pp. 68 and 123. For similar tepeliki worn in Syria, see J. Kalter, 'The Arts and Crafts of Syria', London 1992, pl. 151, p. 80; pls. 166-7, p. 85.