By Barbara McAllister
Word of the Day: Karakul
A newspaper photo of Afghanistan’s president described him wearing “the typical triangular Karakul, part of the native costume worn by many generations of men in Afghanistan and various Pashtun leaders.” Karakul refers to the material the hat is made from, not the style. Karakul, also spelled caracul or qaraqul and capitalized or not, is a breed of domestic sheep that originated in central Asian. It is named after a city in what is now Uzbekistan. The fur is also called broadtail, Persian lamb or by the Russian name, Astrakhan, also named for a region in Russia.
Karakul is usually black or gray and has a distinctive tight whorled, loopy surface with a slight sheen. It was extremely popular for the first half of the 20th century in England and America, mainly for collars, muffs and trimming because of its expense. The Karakul hat was popular among Soviet Politburo members to show their elevated political status.
The fur is made from the fleece of newborn Karakul sheep, typically being between one and three days old. The younger the lamb is, the tighter and shinier the loops. Sometimes the mother sheep is killed along with the baby in order to harvest the fetus.
The pelt naturally comes in a range of colors from pale to black, but black is the most desirable. Some of the more than 50 chemicals used to turn animal fur into “natural,” soft, luxurious material include biocides, fungicides, lime, sodium sulphide, ammonium sulphate, hydrogen sulphide gas , sulphuric acid, chromium sulphate and polyurethane resins.
The Karakul is among the oldest breed of domesticated sheep. Evidence was found of Karakul lambskin from 1400 B.C. and pictorial carvings of Karakul sheep were found on ancient Babylonian temples.
The region that gave rise to the Karakul breed is a harsh high altitude environment that has sparse vegetation and little water. The result is a hardy breed that can thrive under extremely adverse conditions. Even so, the hardiest of breeds is no match for a fashion trend.
