The Pakol (also spelled Pakul or Khapol, from the Khowar language of Chitral) is a soft, round-topped men’s hat, typically of wool and found in any of a variety of earthy colors: brown, black, gray, or ivory. Before it is fitted, it resembles a bag with a round, flat bottom. The wearer rolls up the sides nearly to the top, forming a thick band, which then rests on the head like a beret or cap.

The hat may have originated in the Chitral and Gilgit regions of what is now Northern Pakistan. However, its ancestor perhaps is the remarkably similar ancient Macedonian kausia. It gained popularity amongst the Northeastern Pashtun tribes in the early twentieth century largely as a substitute for their large and cumbersome turbans. It also gained popularity amongst the Nuristanis and the Tajiks of Panjsher and Badakhshan. It is also worn by some Pashtun tribes who live in Kunar and Laghman.

The hat is worn in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan as well. In Pakistan, it is particularly popular in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and Northern Areas such as Gilgit and Hunza and Chitral. It is also worn in some Northern regions on Jammu and Kashmir. (via pakistank2)

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