Hi, Holly
A Sarmatian (or Alan) kaftan was a simple wrapped style, wrapped right-over-left for men and perhaps the opposite way for women; then a belt kept it closed. In your illustration, I have no idea what the diagonal cut piece across the victim's chest represents: it's not accurate. Also, he's the most impoverished Sarmatian I've ever seen. Here's what we know. A man's kaftan never reached the knees, usually not much below the crotch. Trousers were tucked into boots, and Men's boots ran from ankle-length to just below the knee. Women's boots sometimes reached their thighs... and they also used whips.
Your illustration shows a very plain kaftan but they were always embellished with fancy embroidered strips along the borders. Brick red was a favored color, and all kaftans were colorful. Winter coats were often quilted or made from soft leather with fur embellishments and collars, yet designed like kaftans. I would think you could get a modern shirt pattern larger than the person you're making the kaftan for, then add enough material to make it "wrap-around." They also wore short capes, not long sagums.
Issedone (Wusun) warrior with typical short kaftan, embroidered at edges, also a short cape. Making a cape would be a fairly easy "sew job."
Sarmatian/Alan fibula for securing a cape. I'm holding it in my hand so you can see its size.
About a decade ago, I painted "The Horsebreaker," reasonably accurate but the kaftan should be 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 cm.) longer and loose enough to make a good wrap. I just wanted to show the akinakes and convey a bold Sarmatian woman. Note a pair of toggles, which are mentioned by Yatsenko.
(And now curmudgeonism from the view of a barbarian-- All peoples extending from the Kurgan Cultures had a talent for "tailoring." Their clothing fit their physique, not like the Romans and Greeks who simply wrapped a table-cloth or curtain around themselves and tripped over their slaves.)
The Horsebreaker with her braided lasso.
And here is the ultimate kaftan, modeled by the rich and talented Golden Woman of Issyk Kul. Again, we see judicious tailoring... enhanced by about 500 gold appliques.
See if any of Sergey Yatsenko's PDFs are online. He wrote a paper on early Iranian costume, another on Sogdian costume. The latter shows late stuff, Turkic-influenced. The earlier shows Scythian, which was similar to Sarmatian in style. You might find online illustrations of clothing reconstructions of the Tarim Torcharians, who wore fashions similar to Sarmatian styles.
A Sarmatian (or Alan) kaftan was a simple wrapped style, wrapped right-over-left for men and perhaps the opposite way for women; then a belt kept it closed. In your illustration, I have no idea what the diagonal cut piece across the victim's chest represents: it's not accurate. Also, he's the most impoverished Sarmatian I've ever seen. Here's what we know. A man's kaftan never reached the knees, usually not much below the crotch. Trousers were tucked into boots, and Men's boots ran from ankle-length to just below the knee. Women's boots sometimes reached their thighs... and they also used whips.
Your illustration shows a very plain kaftan but they were always embellished with fancy embroidered strips along the borders. Brick red was a favored color, and all kaftans were colorful. Winter coats were often quilted or made from soft leather with fur embellishments and collars, yet designed like kaftans. I would think you could get a modern shirt pattern larger than the person you're making the kaftan for, then add enough material to make it "wrap-around." They also wore short capes, not long sagums.
Issedone (Wusun) warrior with typical short kaftan, embroidered at edges, also a short cape. Making a cape would be a fairly easy "sew job."
Sarmatian/Alan fibula for securing a cape. I'm holding it in my hand so you can see its size.
About a decade ago, I painted "The Horsebreaker," reasonably accurate but the kaftan should be 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 cm.) longer and loose enough to make a good wrap. I just wanted to show the akinakes and convey a bold Sarmatian woman. Note a pair of toggles, which are mentioned by Yatsenko.
(And now curmudgeonism from the view of a barbarian-- All peoples extending from the Kurgan Cultures had a talent for "tailoring." Their clothing fit their physique, not like the Romans and Greeks who simply wrapped a table-cloth or curtain around themselves and tripped over their slaves.)
The Horsebreaker with her braided lasso.
And here is the ultimate kaftan, modeled by the rich and talented Golden Woman of Issyk Kul. Again, we see judicious tailoring... enhanced by about 500 gold appliques.
See if any of Sergey Yatsenko's PDFs are online. He wrote a paper on early Iranian costume, another on Sogdian costume. The latter shows late stuff, Turkic-influenced. The earlier shows Scythian, which was similar to Sarmatian in style. You might find online illustrations of clothing reconstructions of the Tarim Torcharians, who wore fashions similar to Sarmatian styles.
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
