The Weird Jewish Hats of Medieval Art

Throughout the middle ages, Jews have been depicted in stained glass windows, paintings and illustrations as wearing a funny looking hat, looking like a flying saucer topped with a knob, or a variation of the Phrygian hat, now mainly worn by the Smurfs.

Most of medieval art was Christian, and questions have been raised as to whether these were merely depictions of what Jews really wore or whether they were antisemitic caricatures.

The Judenhat ("Jewish hat") can be traced back to medieval Europe. You can even find it in the Bird’s Head Haggadah and some other Jewish books of the time. Originally a marker of eastern learning, antiquity and authority, and even fashionable with 12th century aristocracy, things took a dark turn as Jews were depicted wearing the hat while stabbing Jesus. Paired with a “Jewish nose”, the hat can even sometimes still be seen in antisemitic depictions of Jews today.

So is it an antisemitic trope or a fashion statement? In her book Dark Mirror, Sara Lipton analyzes these graphic depictions. The YouTube channel Unpacked has posted a video that looks at this complex topic from many angles and tries to untangle it.

Enjoy!

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