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Crowning Heritage: The Jewish Hat in History

An exploration of the distinctive headwear worn by Jews across medieval Europe and beyond, examining its history, form, and cultural significance.

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The Jewish Hat: An Overview

Defining the Judenhut

The Jewish hat, known variously as the Jewish cap, *Judenhut* (German), or Latin *pileus cornutus* ("horned skullcap"), was predominantly a cone-shaped, pointed hat, often rendered in white or yellow. It was a common form of headwear for Jews throughout Medieval Europe. While initially adopted voluntarily, its wearing was later mandated in certain European regions following the Fourth Council of the Lateran in 1215, requiring adult Jewish males to wear it when outside of a ghetto to ensure clear distinction from the general populace. Its origins may trace back to pre-Islamic Persia, with similar headwear observed among Babylonian Jews, much like the Phrygian cap it often resembled.

Historical Trajectory

Origins and Evolution

The precise origins of the Jewish hat are not definitively established, though scholarly hypotheses suggest a lineage possibly evolving from late Roman styles or even ancient Persian clergy attire. Early visual evidence appears in the Mosan Stavelot Bible around 1097. The earliest recorded instance of the "Jewish hat" or "Judenhut" dates to the 11th century in Flanders. Initially, Jewish attire did not significantly differ from that of their Christian neighbors, according to historical analysis. The hat's adoption became more widespread and eventually enforced, transforming it from a potential element of traditional garb into a symbol of imposed distinction and, at times, discrimination.

  • Early Mentions: Evidence suggests roots in late Roman and Persian styles, with appearances in the Mosan Stavelot Bible (c. 1097).
  • 11th Century: First recorded instances in Flanders.
  • Medieval Spread: Worn in France from the 11th century and Italy from the 12th century. Depicted on the Gniezno Doors (Germany, c. 1175).
  • Enforcement: Mandated by the Fourth Council of the Lateran (1215) to distinguish Jews from Christians.
  • Later Mandates: Reaffirmed by the Council of Vienne (1311-12), made compulsory in Vienna (1267), and enforced with specific colors (e.g., yellow) in the Papal States (1555) and Lithuania (1567-1587).
  • Decline: Usage began to decline significantly after 1500, gradually replaced by other forms of identification, and largely discontinued with Jewish Emancipation.

Form and Materiality

Varied Silhouettes

The shape of the Jewish hat exhibited considerable variability throughout its history. Early representations, particularly from the 13th century, often depict a soft Phrygian cap. More commonly, especially in the earlier periods, the hat featured a circular, seemingly stiff brim, with a tapering top that concluded in a point, a style sometimes referred to as the "oil-can type." Smaller versions that perched atop the head, occasionally adorned with a ring around the crown, were also observed. By the 14th century, stylistic changes included the addition of a bobble or ball at the apex, a more stalk-like tapering end of constant width, and a flatter or rounded crown. Artistic depictions suggest materials could have included stiffened textiles, leather, and possibly even woven plant materials, though definitive evidence remains elusive.

European Context and Regulation

Mandates and Distinctions

In Medieval Europe, the Jewish hat served as a visual marker of identity, particularly after the Fourth Council of the Lateran in 1215 mandated distinctive dress for Jews and Muslims to prevent intermingling with Christians. While not universally enforced by all monarchs, local rulers frequently implemented regulations. The hat was most prevalent north of the Alps, with fewer examples found in Spain. Its compulsory wearing was reinforced by synods and papal decrees, such as those in Breslau (1267) and Vienna (1267). Later regulations, like Pope Paul IV's 1555 edict requiring a yellow, peaked hat in the Papal States, and similar mandates in Lithuania (1567-1587), underscore its role as a tool of social control and segregation. As Jewish emancipation progressed, the hat's prominence waned, often being superseded by other forms of identification.

Regulated Dress in the Islamic World

Dhimmi Attire

Across the Islamic world, rulers often implemented regulations requiring non-Muslims (*dhimmis*) to wear distinctive garments to differentiate them from Muslims. While headwear was part of these regulations, it was often complemented by other items like belts (*zunnar*) or specific sashes and shawls (*taylasin*). Historical evidence suggests that the Abbasid caliphs pioneered these practices. Rulers like Al-Mutawakkil (c. 850) mandated specific head coverings, while others, such as Al-Hakim, imposed symbolic objects. Later rulers, including those in the Almohad dynasty and the Ottoman Empire, continued to issue and enforce decrees regarding dhimmi clothing, often specifying colors and styles for hats and robes, though the degree of enforcement varied significantly across regions and time periods.

Representation in Art

Iconography and Symbolism

The Jewish hat frequently appears in medieval art, serving as a visual signifier for Jewish figures, often from biblical periods. Christian iconographers utilized it as an external marker, sometimes associating it with unfavorable portrayals or specific narratives, such as the expulsion of money-changers or figures representing infidelity. However, its use was not exclusively negative; it also appeared on figures like Saint Joseph and even Jesus in certain contexts, signifying their Jewish identity. Notably, the hat also features prominently in Hebrew manuscript illuminations, such as Haggadot, indicating its integration into Jewish cultural representation. The depiction of the hat in art sometimes diverged from its real-world appearance, often exaggerated in pointiness, serving the symbolic needs of the artist.

Iconographic Transfer

From Jewish Symbol to Outcast Marker

Following events like the Black Death in 1349 and subsequent expulsions of Jewish communities from parts of Europe, the visual symbolism of the pointed hat underwent a transformation. In iconography, it began to be applied not only to Jews but also to other marginalized or negatively perceived groups. This included criminals, pagans, sorcerers, and even dwarfs. For instance, laws in Hungary in 1421 mandated that individuals convicted of sorcery wear a Jewish hat as a form of public shaming, demonstrating the hat's transfer from a specific ethnic marker to a broader signifier of social deviance or non-conformity.

Scholarly Notes

Reference Details

  1. For example as worn by the Klosterneuburg Altar figures of 1181.
  2. Lipton 1999, p. 16.
  3. Occasionally small straight "stalks" are seen earlier, e.g. Schreckenberg:77, illus 4, of c. 1170.
  4. Silverman 2013, p. 55-56.
  5. Silverman 2013, p. 55–57.
  6. Lipton, Sara (2014). Dark mirror: the medieval origins of anti-Jewish iconography. Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt and Company. p. 15.
  7. Although this may not yet have acquired the force of law at this period. See Roth op cit.
  8. Silverman 2013, p. 56.
  9. PiponnierMane 1997, p. 138.
  10. Silverman 2013, p. 57.
  11. Schreckenberg 1996, p. 15.
  12. Seals from Norman Roth, op cit.
  13. "Medieval Jewish History: An Encyclopedia. Edited by Norman Roth, Routledge". Archived from the original on February 25, 2008.
  14. Fehér, J. (1967). Magyar Középkori Inkvizicio. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Editorial Transilvania.
  15. "Mantino, Jacob ben Samuel". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  16. Papal Bull Cum nimis absurdum. Lithuania, JE: "Yellow badge".
  17. Schreckenberg 1996, p. 288-296.
  18. For example in the enigmatic illustrations to the Golden Haggadah of Darmstadt, of about 1300. See sacrifice illustration below also.
  19. Cassen, Flora (2019-10-08), "Jewish Travelers in Early Modern Italy: Visible and Invisible Resistance to the Jewish Badge", Dress and Cultural Difference in Early Modern Europe, De Gruyter Oldenbourg, pp. 73–89, doi:10.1515/9783110635942-005, ISBN 978-3-11-063594-2, retrieved 2024-10-05
  20. Stow, Kenneth (2001). The Papacy and the Levant, 1204-1571. Volume IV: The Sixteenth Century. American Philosophical Society. p. 719.
  21. Schreckenberg: 125–196. A twelfth-century English example is in the Getty Museum Archived 2010-06-07 at the Wayback Machine.
  22. Lipton 1999, p. 16-19.
  23. Schapiro, Meyer (1980). Selected papers. G. Braziller. pp. 380–386.
  24. Lipton 1999, p. 16-17.
  25. Lipton 1999, p. 18 the image is on folio 25c of Vienna ONB Codex 1179 Bible moralisée.
  26. Lipton 1999, p. 19.
  27. ONB Codex 1179, f. 181a
  28. Saurma no. 4386
  29. Lubrich, Naomi. "From Judenhut to Zauberhut: A Jewish Sign Proliferates", in: Asdiwal, 10, 2015, 136–162.
  30. Lubrich, Naomi. "The Wandering Hat: Iterations of the Medieval Jewish Hat", in: Jewish History, 29 (2015), 203–244. doi:10.1007/s10835-015-9250-5. ISSN 0334-701X. JSTOR 24709777.
  31. Bat Ye'or (2002). Islam and Dhimmitude. Where Civilizations Collide. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press/Associated University Presses. p. 91
  32. "Medieval Jewish History: An Encyclopedia. Edited by Norman Roth, Routledge". Archived from the original on October 24, 2008.
  33. Bat Ye’or (2002), pp. 91–96

Bibliography

Key Sources

  1. Parts of this article are translated from de:Judenhut of 13 July 2005
  2. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Judenhut". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
  3. Lipton, Sara (1999). Images of intolerance: the representation of Jews and Judaism in the Bible moralisée. University of California Press.
  4. Lubrich, Naomi (2015). "The Wandering Hat: Iterations of the Medieval Jewish Pointed Cap". Jewish History. 29 (3/4): 203–244.
  5. Lubrich, Naomi, “From Judenhut to Zauberhut: A Jewish Sign Proliferates”, in: Asdiwal, 10, 2015, 136–162
  6. Piponnier, Françoise; Mane, Perrine (1997). Dress in the Middle Ages. Yale University Press.
  7. Roth, Norman, "Was There a "Jewish Hat"?"
  8. Schreckenberg, Heinz (1996). The Jews in Christian art: an illustrated history. Continuum.
  9. Silverman, Eric (2013-01-01). A Cultural History of Jewish Dress. A&C Black.
  10. Straus, Raphael (1942). "The "Jewish Hat" as an Aspect of Social History". Jewish Social Studies. 4 (1): 59–72.

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References

References

  1.  For example as worn by the Old Testament figures on the Klosterneuburg Altar of 1181
  2.  Occasionally small straight "stalks" are seen earlier, e.g. Schreckenberg:77, illus 4, of c. 1170
  3.  Fehér, J. (1967). Magyar Középkori Inkvizicio. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Editorial Transilvania.
  4.  Papal Bull Cum nimis absurdum. Lithuania, JE: "Yellow badge".
  5.  For example in the enigmatic illustrations to the Golden Haggadah of Darmstadt, of about 1300. See sacrifice illustration below also.
  6.  Lipton 1999, p. 18the image is on folio 25c of Vienna ONB Codex 1179 Bible moralisée.
A full list of references for this article are available at the Jewish hat Wikipedia page

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