Open AccessRole and functions of the shirt in birth customs
Author(s) -
Natalia Gradinaru,
AUTHOR_ID
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
revista de etnologie şi culturologie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.101
0eISSN - 2537-6152
pISSN - 1857-2049
DOI - 10.52603/rec.2021.30.17
Subject(s) - clothing , folklore , personality , psychology , scope (computer science) , the symbolic , social psychology , aesthetics , sociology , law , psychoanalysis , art , political science , computer science , anthropology , programming language
Besides its utilitarian roles (protection against cold) in the folklore culture, clothing performed some symbolic functions as well. In this regard the clothing of the newborn presents special interest. According to popular beliefs, the spirits of illnesses could hide not only inside a child, but also on its clothes. Therefore, because the clothing was in a direct touch with the child’s body, many rituals were carried out with the scope of some therapeutic actions, cure. One of the most used item of clothing was the shirt, as according to the popular beliefs, it was the most intimate, and connected with the personality of the one who wore it. Being assimilated to the “second skin” it performed several functions. It played the role of an instrument by means of which the child socialized and got integrated into society. It could transmit some positive qualities. The shirt also performed some protective therapeutic and modeling functions of the child’s physical and psychical state on a magical level.