A capirote is a pointy hat of conical form that is used in Spain.
Historically, the capirote was a cardboard cone that flagellants in Spain would use. It was also used during capital punishment in Spain, and also during an Inquisition, where the condemned person would be forced to wear one and be put under public humiliation.
It is also the uniform of some brotherhoods during Easter - in this instance, the outer fabric descends past the shoulders, covering the face and the neck while leaving only a pair of holes for the eyes, and is often seen during Holy Week celebrations in Spain.
The modern Ku Klux Klan robes and hood are identical to the capirotes that are worn by the Nazarenos (see Holy Week in Seville). The actual origin of the Ku Klux Klan robes are unclear. The capirote has its origins in Catholicism, while the Ku Klux Klan is an anti-Catholic White Nationalist Protestant organisation.[1]
