Festive costume of a young woman. The Crimean Gypsies, early 20th century. Taurida Province, suburbs of Simferopol

European gypsies: Gypsies of Crimea

Costume, women's

The cultural artifacts of the Crimean Gypsies in the collection of the Russian Museum of Ethnography form a small body, however they are important to understand the specifics of the Crimean historical/ethnographic region. The Gypsies settled in Crimes via Asia Minor and the Balkans as early as in Byzantine times. Later, in the epoch of the Crimean Khanate, they repeated the destiny of many Gypsy sub-ethnoses, entering the local multicultural scene with their peculiar role. From then on, the Crimean Gypsies known as kyrymitika roma, ayujee (Tatar for bearwards), or chingene adopted a sedentary lifestyle, switched to the Crimean Tatar language creating its special dialect, and began to profess Islam. Retaining the inner features of social structure and domestic lifestyle, they found their own trade niche in Crimea. The Crimean Gypsies were excellent blacksmiths and silversmiths, wove baskets, traded in horses, and women did the fortunetelling. Up to this day, the best music groups at Crimean Tatar weddings have been considered those consisting of Crimean Gypsies. In the 19th century, communities of other Gypsy sub-ethnoses appeared in Crimea. In the clothing of the Crimean Gypsies of the late 19th and early 20th century, a strong influence of the surrounding population can be seen, the Crimean Tatars first of all. The men’s and women’s clothing was close to the costume of urban Crimean Tatars, which is especially noticeable by the example of the festive costume of a Crimean Gypsy woman, largely replicating the costume of Crimean Tatar women. In the Gypsy women’s costume, abundance of jewelry can be noticed, which is explained by the woman’s role as the keeper of family valuables.