"Gates-of-Hell" Surcotes

Ross G Caldwell

Re: Please

Fulgour said:
Does anyone know what this style of clothing was called
in French and Italian? ("Gates of Hell")

It would really be appreciated. :)

My Petit Robert (French) and Zanichelli (Italian), both big dictionaries, don't have "pellotes" or "cyclas" - so it is a puzzle.

Du Cange (Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis) has an entry for "Pellotum", where he simply notes it is a type of draping garment; he gives no romance language equivalents.

There are some guides to medieval clothing in my library, so I'll look there when I get a chance.

According to http://www.anastacias.com/Scrappies.htm

"The Pellotes or Sideless Surcoat worn in the 12th cent. legend has it that this surcoat was known as the Gates of Hell because the style tempted men to look upon the woman's figure in a close fitting under garment."

(but you already knew that)
 

Fulgour

coming and going...?

Silvia (thanks!) posted a reference to this passage on another thread,
regarding La Maison Dieu:

Genesis 28, 10 – 18: “Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran.
[...]
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is
in this place, and I was not aware of it." He was afraid and said,
"How awesome is this place! This is none other than the
house of God; this is the gate of heaven."

Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under
his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.
He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.”

*

I can (respectfully) imagine: xiii XIIII xv XVI xvii (gates?)

*

ADDED Re Eberhard's posting (see below)
High Middle Ages, 14th Century
Armelloses Surkot = "Sideless Surcote"

http://www.gandiva.de/03_Teufelsfenster_gross.413x576.jpg

http://www.gandiva.de/Teufelsfenster_gross.813x574.jpg

Teufels Fenster = "Devils Window" (approx.)
 

smleite

"Hell and heaven are within you, both gates are within you.
When you are behaving unconsciously there is the gate of hell; when you become alert and conscious, there is the gate of heaven."

by Osho
 

Eberhard

In this article on the site of a workshop in Germany specializing in the reconstruction of medieval garments they call it "Surkot", "Teufelsfenster" (windows of/for the devil) because the Surkot allowed to have a glimpse of the waistline. The picture was taken from: H.Norris "Medieval Costume and Fashion".