Misplaced Pages

Ciocia (pl. ciocie) is a kind of Italian footwear, now typically associated with the rural population of mountainous areas of Italy and the western Balkans. The traditional form of ciocie are made with large leather soles, tied to the leg by straps (strenghe or curiole) bound between the ankle and the knee. Rather than socks, a large piece of loose cloth (pezza, pl. pezze) was placed around the feet, ankles, and calves under the ciocie.

Names

Ciocia is the name for the footwear used in Rome and northern Lazio, where it is pronounced [ˈtʃɔːʃa]. In Marche and Abruzzo, the same footwear is called chioca, pronounced [ˈkjɔːka]; in Abruzzo, it is also known as chiochiera ([ˈkjɔːkjərə]); around Minturno, ciòcero ([ˈtʃɔːʃərə]); in Campania, sciòscio ([ˈʃɔʃʃə]); and in southern Lazio, Colli Albani, and the Mezzogiorno generally, zampitto ([dzamˈpittə]). Most of these names probably derive from the Latin soccus, a kind of ancient Anatolian slipper popularized as part of the typical costume in Ancient Greek comedy. The form worn in the western Balkans is known as opanci.

History

Under the early Roman Empire, socci were considered effeminate but their use became widespread before the reign of Diocletian. The long pointed toe may represent the legacy of the Etruscan calceus repandus or a continuation of the medieval pigache or poulaine trends. Combined with long straps binding the shoe to the leg, the ciocia became so common among poor peasants and shepherds in central and southern Italy that it gave rise to the term ciociari ("ciocia-wearers"), used in Central Italian dialects to mean poor country folk or bumpkins. Although this is now a pejorative term, 19th-century Romantic painters and poets celebrated the ciocie and the peasants' typically colorful cloths. Similar footwear is common in the countryside of Kosovo and Northern Macedonia.

See also

• Ciociaria
• Central and Southern Italian
• Other pointed shoes

References

1. ^ "Hystory of Ciociaria", Official site, Atina: Living Ciociaria, 2023.
2. Dubarry A., Le brigandage en Italie depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours, Plon & Cie, Paris 1875, pp. 269-286. (in French)

External links

• (in Italian) La ciocia.it
• (in Italian) La terra delle ciocie

v t e Footwear
Abandoned footwear Shoe Shoemaking Shoe size
Dress shoes	Blucher Brogues Brothel creepers Derby Monks Oxfords Spectator shoes (Co-respondent shoes) Winklepickers Wholecuts Slip-on shoes Court shoes Prince Albert slippers Loafers Venetian-style shoes Women's Ballet flats High-heeled footwear Mary Janes Mojari Mules Peep-toe shoes Saddle shoes Slingbacks
Other shoes	Driving moccasins Flip-flops Galoshes Platform shoes Sandals Self-tying shoes Slides Slippers (Uwabaki) Tiger-head shoes Veldskoens Zōri
Wooden footwear	Bakya British clogs Cantabrian albarcas Clogs Geta Klompen Namaksin Okobo Padukas Pattens Sabot Träskor
Boots	Military Ammunition boots Bunny boots Combat boots Jackboots Jump boots Jungle boots Tanker boots Trench boots Munson Last Work Australian work boots Cowboy boots Engineer boots Hip boots Jika-tabi Rigger boots Steel-toe boots Waders Fashion boots Chelsea boots (Beatle boots) Chukka boots Go-go boots Knee-high boots Over-the-knee boots Platform boots Thigh-high boots Ugg boots Other Jodhpur boots Wellington boots Ballet boots
Sport-related footwear	Athletic shoes Ballet shoes Boat shoes Climbing shoes Cross country running shoes Cycling shoes Football boots Ghillies Hiking boots Ice skates Inline skates Kung fu shoes Minimalist shoes Motorcycle boots Mountaineering boots Plimsolls Racing flats Racing shoes Riding boots Roller shoes Roller skates Sabatons Safari boots Skate shoes Ski boots Sneakers Swimfins Water shoes Wrestling shoes
Folk footwear	Abacas Abarkas Alpargatas Avarcas Balghas Bast shoes Ciocie Clogs Espadrilles Furlane Galesh Geta Giveh Haferlschuh Hnyat-phanats Huarache Hwa Jipsin Jorabs Kamiks Kolhapuri chappals Moccasins Mojaris Mukluks Nalins Okobo Opanci Peshawari chappals Snowshoes Tsarouchi Takunya Upanah Valenkis Waraji Zōri
Historical footwear	Areni-1 shoes Buskins Calcei Caligae Carbatina Cavalier boots Chinese styles Chopines Duckbill shoes Flowerpot shoes Hessians Lotus shoes Pampooties Pigaches Poulaines Socci Turnshoes
Shoe construction	Bespoke shoes Blake construction Goodyear welt Shoe buckle Shoelaces Toe box High heels Clear heels Kitten heels Spool heels Stiletto heels Wedges
Hosiery	Anklets Bobby socks Dress socks Footwraps Knee highs Pantyhose Sock Stocking Tights Toe socks Tabi
List of shoe styles

• Abruzzo
• Ciociaria
• Italian folklore
• Italian clothing
• Footwear
• Molise
• Folk footwear
• Shoes
• Sandals