Burnous

A burnous (Berber languages: ⴰⴱⵔⵏⵓⵙ abernus), also burnoose, bournous or barnous, is a long cloak of coarse woollen fabric with a pointed hood, often white in colour, traditionally worn by Berber and other Maghrebi men. In the Maghreb, the colour of the burnous may white, beige, or dark brown. There are rock engravings near Sigus that attest the existence of the burnous in the ancient times, it was also worn by the Numidians.[1][2]

Urban Algerian man wearing a white/beige burnous, 19th century
A French Spahi uniform c. 1960 with a distinctive white burnous

Historically, the white burnous was worn during important events by men of high positions. Today, men of different social standing may wear it for ceremonial occasions, such as weddings or on religious and national holidays.[3][4]

Burnous in other cultures

The burnous became a distinctive part of the uniform of the French Army of Africa's spahi cavalry, recruited in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. It was also sometimes worn unofficially by officers or soldiers of other units in North Africa. The white burnous remains part of the parade uniform of the one remaining spahi regiment of the French Army: the 1st Spahi Regiment.

Other names for a burnous include albornoz, sbernia, sberna, and bernusso.

See also

References
  1. Ancient Civilizations of Africa. G. Mokhtar. UNESCO.
  2. Rome depuis sa fondation jusqu'a la chute de l'empire par Mary Lafon. Mary-Lafon. Furne.
  3. Encyclopédie du costume: des peuples de l'Antiquité à nos jours ainsi que, Nouvelles editions latines. Maurice Cottaz. (1990). Page 80. ISBN 2-7233-0421-3. Date:02-08-2016.
  4. El Briga, C. (1992). "Burnous". Encyclopédie berbère (11): 1668–1669. doi:10.4000/encyclopedieberbere.1883 – via journals.openedition.org.
  • Media related to Burnus at Wikimedia Commons
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