Watching Western youth films, we can often see that students who have graduated from a higher educational institution are dressed in a black robe and an interesting square cap with a tassel, which is often thrown into the sky. Where did this headdress come from and what is its name? Are there any traditions associated with this hat? Now we will find out everything.
Does this hat have a name? Which?
The graduation cap has several names, it all depends on the country in which they talk about it. For example, Australian students call it a trench or angular cap. The British are sure that its appearance is connected with Oxford University, or rather, they know that the hat appeared earlier, but it was Oxford professors proposed returning the tradition of wearing a special robe, consisting of a mantle, a scarf and a special pointed square cap with a tassel.
That is why in England the cap bears the name of the university, that is, Oxford. In France, this cap is called bonet, but translated from French this can be called any headdress, so most Europeans do not consider this name appropriate.
In Russia, the name “square academic cap” or “master’s cap” was assigned to it. But, unfortunately, most Russian higher educational institutions do not support the tradition of such uniforms for their students.
Where did she come from?
There is an opinion that The square academic cap is derived from the traditional headdress of Latin priests, called the biretta.. The hats were red and sometimes black and were required to be worn by Catholic clergy. In those days, the red color was recognized as a symbol of royal power, so only noble Italians could wear birettas of this color.
Black hats were intended for scientists and people who devoted themselves to art. Muslim traditions also influenced the academic cap. Madrasah graduates wore a square cap. This shape was invented so that the Koran could be placed on it. In this way, scientists showed others that they had learned all the laws of the Koran and completely mastered it.
However, another opinion takes us to Poland. Since 1768, the Polish military wore a quadrangular cap. The headdress had no visor, and the top was decorated with a tassel. It was called Confederate. Prestigious institutions such as Cambridge and Oxford are descended from church schools, for this reason students are required to dress in clothing resembling monastic robes. Initially, these clothes were worn daily, but soon acquired special meaning.
The tetrahedral cap became a sign of an academic degree and the level of knowledge acquired. That is Only those students and teachers who had special services to the university could wear it.
What types of hats are there?
Initially, the square academic cap had two colors: red and black. As we have already said, the scarlet headdress was intended for noble gentlemen and priests, and the black one was for persons who occupy an honorable place in society, but do not have any title. For example, black birettas were worn by doctors, professors, musicians, sculptors or artists. Now too there is a certain shade classification of these square headdresses, but more expanded.
Confederate cards vary in color depending on the area the student is mastering:
- white color – history, art, literature;
- gray – veterinary medicine;
- blue – jurisprudence, philosophy, politics;
- yellow – mathematics, physics;
- bright yellow shade – agriculture;
- dark green color – foreign languages;
- light green – pharmaceuticals;
- red – economy; business administration, business;
- purple color – architecture;
- blue tint – pedagogy, theology;
- pink color - music;
- orange – military science, tactics;
- brown – theatrical art.
Not only a certain shade of the cap could be responsible for the area being studied. Sometimes all the vestments were made in the same color scheme. But more often the cap and mantle are made of black fabric, and the tassel on the confederate hat and the scarf are made in the color that corresponds to the education being received.
A little about the traditions associated with it
Only since the 1990s has the square academic cap become the main headdress for students graduating from a higher educational institution.Moreover, only state universities issued these clothes; this practice never happened in private schools. Each hat had the owner's name embroidered inside. And this is connected with one interesting tradition.
After receiving a diploma of higher education, students gathered in front of the university and at the same time threw their caps up, thus paying tribute to the school for the knowledge they had acquired.. After that, everyone could find their headdress by the surname embroidered on it.
Not only the hat matters, but also the tassel that decorates it.. After all, it is located there for a reason. The brush has an unusual name: liripip. Students should wear it on the right side, and those who have already passed all exams and are waiting to receive a diploma should wear it on the left side. Sometimes the liripip is thrown from right to left precisely at the presentation of the diploma. In some educational institutions, excellent students have tassels that are not black, but red or gold, and in addition, they are 10–12 cm longer than the standard liripip.
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