Montenegrin cap

Symbol of entire Serbdom

BLACK brim of the cap represents sorrow towards lost Kosovo battle in the year of 1389. RED color describes Serb blood spilled in mentioned battle. Five GOLD threads represent five centuries of Serb suffering under Turkish rule, while four GOLD Cyrillic letters C ( S ) in modern sense stand for slogan: "ONLY HARMONY SAVES THE SERBS".

The name of Montenegrin cap was changed during the history, from Valjana and Bijela to Siska, Kariklija and Zavratka. Today this cap is known just as Montenegrin cap.

King Nikola's initials

In his capital work, Ljubomir Nenadovic said that the final model of Montenegrin cap, introduced by Petar II Petrovic Njegos, was a variation of the cap from Serb antiquity, worn in Risan, Boka Kotorska. From the time of Petar II Petrovic Njegos, Darevija (black brim) around red cap is a sign of sorrow towards lost Serb Empire while gold threads symbolize Serb suffering under Turkish yoke. (Ljubomir Nenadovic, On Montenegrins - Letters from Cetinje 1878, Novi Sad 1889, pages 49, 50). During the XIX and early XX century, Tepelak had been ornamented with the first letter of the nahija's name, with ruler's initials, owner's initials, Montenegrin coat of arms and symbol of entire Serbdom, four Cyrillic letters C ( S ).