What is the story behind graduation caps?

Graduation caps, or mortarboards, evolved from the soft caps (pileus/biretta) worn by medieval scholars and Catholic clergy in 12th-century European universities to keep warm and signify status, developing into the stiff, flat-topped cap we know today in the 15th century, resembling a bricklayer's mortarboard and symbolizing academic achievement. The tassel, initially a functional ornament, became a key part of the ritual, moved from side to side to mark the transition from student to graduate.

What does graduation cap symbolize?

A graduation cap (mortarboard) symbolizes academic achievement, intellectual pursuit, and the freedom of scholarship, originating from medieval scholars and clergy; its tassel's movement from right to left signifies the official transition from candidate to graduate, marking the culmination of educational efforts and a step into a new phase of life. 

Where did the tradition of graduation caps come from?

Origins. The mortarboard likely originated in Italy, no later than 1520. The mortarboard may have developed from the biretta, a similar-looking hat worn by Roman Catholic clergy.

What is this 🎓 called?

That symbol (🎓) is called a Graduation Cap, also known as a Mortarboard, which is a flat, square academic cap with a tassel worn during graduation ceremonies to signify academic achievement and the completion of a degree. It's a common emoji used to represent education, graduation, and learning. 

What is the story behind how graduation caps started being used and the tassel?

This particular style of cap is believed to have been developed in the 15th century, evolving from the square-shaped birettas used by Catholic clerics, scholars, and professors. The tassel worn on the mortarboard is the one item of regalia that has probably allowed for the greatest latitude when it comes to traditions.

The Origins of the Graduation Ceremony

What does moving the tassel from right to left mean?

Transition and Transformation: Moving the tassel from the right side of the cap to the left signifies a rite of passage, marking the transition from one phase of life to another. For high school graduates, it represents moving on to higher education or the workforce.

What was the original purpose of tassels?

In the Middle East, tassels were worn as talismans, especially on headwear. In Egypt, Mesopotamia, and throughout the Arab world tassels were worn by children on hoods or caps to protect them from malevolent spirits and ward off demons.

What is the thing on top of a graduation cap called?

Typically, the mortarboard is worn with one corner facing forward, like a diamond. At the center of the mortarboard, there is usually a tassel attached. During the ceremony, the tassel hangs on a specific side of the cap, with most undergraduates wearing it on the right.

Does the tassel go on the left or right?

For high school and undergraduate degrees, the tassel starts on the right side and is moved to the left after the degree is conferred; for Master's and Doctorate degrees, it starts and stays on the left side. The switch from right to left signifies the completion of your studies and transition to graduate status, a moment often directed by the ceremony speaker.
 

Do teachers wear caps at graduation?

Caps. Caps are worn as part of the academic attire and can vary in style. Mortarboard: The most common type, a square cap with a tassel attached. The tassel's color can denote the academic discipline or the institution's colors.

What do the 4 stripes on a graduation gown mean?

The unique feature of a Presidential gown is the addition of the fourth chevron to each sleeve. This honor is granted only to one who holds the rank of President or Chancellor of an academic institution.

What is the dangly thing on a graduation cap?

Of all the graduation regalia, the graduation tassel is one of the most prized and sought-after pieces of your graduation couture. So why is this professionally made tuft of hanging thread so important? Simply put, it is the meaning this little object possesses, making it a priceless remembrance once you graduate.

What does a black graduation cap mean?

The traditional black caps and gowns worn by students and faculty in the academic procession have been the historic regalia of scholars since medieval times. Because many scholars of that period were members of monastic orders, the academic regalia probably represents an adaptation of ecclesiastical dress.

What does a tassel represent?

Tassels represent achievement, transition, and remembrance, most famously seen at graduations where they signify completing a degree and moving from student to graduate, but also hold historical and religious meanings of holiness, protection, and status in other cultures. Different colors can denote fields of study or honors, while historically, they symbolized wealth, spirituality, or served as decorative art. 

What does graduation mean spiritually?

These momentous occasions are engendered by those progressing from one life point to another. Seemingly academic in nature, graduations represent a passing of time, a maturing of self and the recognition of no turning back.

What is the significance of moving the tassel from right to left?

You move your tassel from the right to the left at graduation to symbolize the transition from being a student to a graduate, marking the completion of your degree, with the right side representing your student status and the left side signifying your new graduate status. This is a key moment in the ceremony, usually directed by the officiant, and it's a visual declaration of achievement for undergraduates. Master's and doctoral graduates typically start with their tassel on the left, as they already hold a higher degree. 

How do you tell the front of a graduation cap?

The pointed tip of your cap is meant to go in the front of your head while the elastic band should go behind. The cap should be worn directly on your head and not tilted back and it should lie about one inch above your eyebrows.

Why do graduates turn the tassel?

Why Do We Turn The Tassel? Depending on your educational level, you may move the tassel left or right after graduating. The tassel before graduation symbolizes your time as a student. When you move it to the other side, you are confirming your newfound graduate status.

What is the slang for graduation cap?

Graduation cap slang primarily revolves around the word "cap," meaning a lie or exaggeration (from "capping"), and its opposite, "no cap," meaning "no lie" or "for real," often used to decorate caps with sincere messages like "No Cap, I'm Done!" or expressing true feelings about graduating. Other terms include "mortarboard" (the formal name for the cap), "tassel-turning" (the act of moving the tassel), and creative terms for the decorated caps themselves, like "Grad Caps" or simply "decorated caps" for expressing individuality.
 

Who invented the graduation cap?

During the 16th and 17th centuries, it was called a “corner-cap” which was reserved for masters degree recipients. By 1950, a Catholic priest named Joseph Durham and an inventor named Edward O'Reilly were working together to file a mortarboard patent in the United States.

Can I keep my graduation hat?

Your graduation cap is yours to keep, so make it meaningful and unique to you. Add a photograph or something that indicates your area of study.

What does the Bible say about tassels?

Numbers 15:38-41 New King James Version (NKJV)

“Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners.

What is the history of graduation tassels?

In fact, though they have become a symbol of graduation, their use only became widespread within the last century or so, though cords have been used to represent levels and areas of education since the 14th century. Tassels originated simply as fashionable adornments for clothing and furniture.

When the tassel has to be removed?

Before seed corn can pollinate, the tassels are removed from designated female rows of corn. This is necessary for cross-pollination, rather than self-pollination, to occur. “Detasseling is the process of removing the tassels from the top of the corn plant in order to induce cross-pollination,” Witt says.