Dress and adornmentMiddle East
Kalpak
A tall cap of Turkic peoples, thick for winter and wide and light for summer
The kalpak is a tall cap of Turkic peoples, made from felt or sometimes sheepskin and worn in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Each season has its own version: thick for winter warmth, lighter and wider for summer shade, and plain white ones for festivals.
When is Kalpak kept?
Kalpak is kept on worn through the year, in a thick version for winter and a lighter, wider one for summer.
A kalpak is a tall cap that Turkic peoples wear, and it has travelled far beyond its homeland. The crown rises high and tapers; the material is usually felt, sometimes sheepskin. Two jobs shape its design: keeping the head warm when it is cold, and shading the eyes when the sun is strong. Visitors to Central Asia and the Caucasus still see it, and it is worn in Turkey too.
What it is
A kalpak is a cap with a high crown. Most are made of felt, and some are made of sheepskin. It belongs to Turkic cultures, and people wear it from Central Asia through the Caucasus. The main reason for it is practical. In winter a thick kalpak holds warmth around the head. In summer a thinner one, cut wider, throws shade over the face. Because the seasons differ, the hats differ too, and a single household may keep more than one. When a kalpak is not on the head it can often be pressed flat and stored or carried.
Origins and history
The word itself is Turkic. Mahmud al-Kashgari, writing a Turkic dictionary in the 11th century, noted that wearing a kalpak was very common among Turks. Older traces appear in Chinese records, which are the earliest source we have for Turkic peoples in this headwear. Two scholars have offered meanings: Sevan Nisanyan, an Armenian lexicographer, reads the word as a felt cap, while the Turkish Turcologist Hasan Eren gives a cap of leather, fur or fabric. From these pieces many writers describe the kalpak as Turkic in origin and as a national cap of Turkic peoples, adopted later by others.
Shapes and styles
The kalpak varies a lot in shape. In the Turkic cultures of Central Asia the crown narrows sharply toward the top, so it suggests a mountain. Turkish kalpaks keep a more cylindrical form instead. The edge is often rolled up, and some brims carry a slit so the front can be pinched into two peaks. Colour matters too: a plain white cap is commonly kept back for festivals and special days, while one made for ordinary use may be lined inside with black velvet. Flat folding makes any of them simple to pack.
A word that travelled
Turkish lent the word to a wide group of languages, among them Balkan, Iranian, Slavic and western European ones. It also names a people: Karakalpak, which means black kalpak in the Karakalpak language, and how that group stands in relation to other Turkic peoples is not settled. In a few languages the same word covers something quite different. Speakers of Russian, Persian and Polish use it for the hubcap at the centre of a car wheel.
How Kalpak is kept
There is no ceremony attached to the kalpak, only the daily habits of wearing one. A person chooses a weight for the weather, thick for winter, lighter and broader for summer. The cap goes on with the crown standing tall. If the brim is rolled up, the forehead is left clear; if that brim is slit, the front can be shaped into two points. A plain white kalpak is put on for a festival. Everyday caps may show a black velvet lining when they come off. Otherwise the hat is folded flat and put away until it is needed again.
When and where
The kalpak has no fixed date. It is worn as the weather asks, all through the year. The thick version belongs to winter, and the lighter, wider one to summer, when shade matters most. Festivals are the moment for the plain white caps, which are often set aside for such days.
The cap is at home across Central Asia and the Caucasus, among Turkic peoples. Central Asian styles taper to a point; those of Turkey keep a cylindrical shape. The word travelled further, carried into several Balkan, Iranian and Slavic languages.
What Kalpak means
For the people who wear it, the kalpak is more than a warm hat. Its tall, pointed crown copies the mountains of Central Asia, so the hat holds the shape of home. Some writers go further and call it a national cap of Turkic peoples, a claim drawn from old dictionaries and Chinese records rather than from a single authority. White kalpaks belong to festivals, which sets those days apart from ordinary ones.
Questions people ask about Kalpak
When is Kalpak kept?
Kalpak is kept on worn through the year, in a thick version for winter and a lighter, wider one for summer.
What is a kalpak?
A kalpak is a high-crowned cap, usually made of felt and sometimes of sheepskin. It is worn by Turkic peoples in Central Asia and the Caucasus, and it keeps the head warm in winter while shading the face in summer.
Where is it worn?
Across Central Asia and the Caucasus, above all among Turkic peoples. Styles differ by place: Central Asian caps narrow to a point, while those worn in Turkey are cylindrical. The name also passed into several Balkan, Iranian and Slavic languages.
Why do some kalpaks have two points?
The brim of some kalpaks is cut. That opening lets the wearer shape the front of the cap into a peak with two points, which sits above the forehead.
Where does the word come from?
It is a Turkic word. Sevan Nisanyan, an Armenian lexicographer, reads it as a felt cap, while the Turkish Turcologist Hasan Eren gives a cap of leather, fur or fabric.
What does white mean on a kalpak?
Plain white kalpaks are often kept back for festivals and special occasions, so a white cap signals a celebration. Caps intended for everyday wear are plainer, and some of them have a black velvet lining inside.
See also
RushnykA sacred embroidered cloth used in East Slavic rituals, weddings and daily life.
GáktiA traditional coat worn by the Sámi people across northern Scandinavia and Russia, signaling origin and status through c
Traditional tattooingThe ancient custom of marking the skin for protection, healing, status and sacred rites
Eid al-FitrThe feast that ends Ramadan, opened with morning prayers, sweets and visits homeGood reading and sources
- Kalpak on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Kalpak", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.
More from Turkey
All the traditions of Turkey
🇬🇪 Georgia and 5 moreChokha
A high-collared wool coat of the Caucasus, worn by men for battle and ceremonyDress
🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreYashmakyaşmak
A traditional face and head veil worn in Turkey, Egypt and TurkmenistanDress
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreEid al-Fitrعيد الفطر
The feast that ends Ramadan, opened with morning prayers, sweets and visits homeFestival · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇷 Iran and 7 moreNowruzنوروز
The Iranian new year at the March equinox, kept with fire, greenery and picnicsSeasonal
The same idea elsewhere
All of this kind
🇮🇳 Paithan, IndiaPaithani
A handwoven silk sari from Maharashtra, with a squared border and a peacock palluDress
🇳🇴 Norway and 3 moreGákti
A traditional coat worn by the Sámi people across northern Scandinavia and Russia, signaling origin and status through cDress
🇼🇸 Samoa and 1 moreʻIe tōga
Precious woven mats exchanged in Samoan ceremonies to honor family ties and chiefly status.Dress
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreTraditional tattooing
The ancient custom of marking the skin for protection, healing, status and sacred ritesDress