kerchief

thumb|A woman wearing a black bandana on her head

A kerchief (from the Old French couvre-chef, "cover head"), also known as a bandana or bandanna, is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the head, face, or neck for protective or decorative purposes. Bandanas originated in India as bright-coloured handkerchiefs of silk and cotton with spots in white on coloured grounds, chiefly red and blue Bandhani. The silk styles were made of the finest-quality yarns. The popularity of head kerchiefs may vary by culture or religion, often being used as a Christian headcovering by men and women of the Anabaptist, Eastern Orthodox, and Plymouth Brethren denominations, as well as by some Orthodox Jewish and Muslim men and women and is also considered a hat.