Zamarra (coat)

A zamarra is a sheepskin coat worn by Basque shepherds.^[1] In the 1830s, Edward Bell Stephens strongly recommended that visitors to the Spanish Basque region purchase the zamarra, which he described as made from black Andalusian astrakhan lined with white sheepskin.^[2] It was recommended as an ideal travelling jacket, serviceable in both heat and cold, and very water-resistant.^[2]

Man wearing a zamarra

The academic garment also worn as a vestment, the chimere is closely related to the zamarra,^[3] from which it evolved during the Middle Ages.^[4]

A similar coat is used in Alentejo, southern Portugal, and called samarra.^[5] It is made of wool, with a furry collar, and the usual colours are brown, dark blue or black.

See also

• Simar