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Photo of installation at the Oriental Institute Museum

On Left:

Hebron Area This wedding thob, which is part of the bride’s wedding attire of Beit Jebrin northwest of Hebron, is heavily embroidered with cross-stitch on the enlarged chest panel, and on the sides and the back panels with various floral and geometric motifs. The front, from the waist to the hem, is heavily decorated with colorful taffeta appliqué covered with motifs embroidered with the Bethlehem-style couching. The yoke and narrow sleeves are adorned with silk overlaid with the stars and watches motif of Bethlehem in couching stitch. The chest panel resembles that of Ramallah, especially the presence of the arch motif. The patterns and motifs on the chest panel are repeated on the side and back panel of the thob. The head veil (shambar) is a very heavy piece of black silk crepe, one end of which is almost completely embroidered with magenta-red cross-stitch and embellished with sequins. Thick tassels adorn the end of this section. A woman wore the shambar mainly on her wedding day, positioned so that when she covered her face the embroidered end would show. The headdress (‘iraqiyeh) is embroidered with cross-stitch and decorated with Ottoman coins minted in AH 1223, corresponding to AD 1808, as well as Maria Theresa coins. The ‘iraqiyeh was worn by married women. Some elaborate ‘iraqiyeh were passed down through the family to be used by several generations. Long embroidered headbands made of heavily embroidered cotton hung from both sides of the ‘iraqiyeh. The headbands were wrapped around the woman’s braids to facilitate bundling her hair and securing it in the back of the headdress. Dress: embroidery on indigo-blue linen, PHC 170 Shawl: crepe and silk, sequins, PHC 141 Headdress: cotton and wool, L-436.04

On Right:

Bir Sabe‘ The Bir Sabe‘ area was mainly inhabited by semi-nomadic Bedouin. Most dresses in this area were made of a dark blue or black fabric (as this example), embroidered with bright colors. The color of the embroidery of the lower back and front part of the thob skirt indicates the woman’s marital status. Only married women embroidered their dresses in red, orange, yellow, and green; unmarried girls and widows embroidered their dresses in blue, as in this example. The sleeves are long and triangular, and women tied them behind their back when they needed to work. As is typical in this region, the garment is embroidered with stylized geometric cross-stitch rather than with thematic patterns. In contrast to dresses from other areas that are composed of different types of fabric, Bir Sabe‘ dresses are often entirely of the same material. The head veil made of the blue or black cotton material is embroidered in the middle in reds, orange, and green with patterns similar to those on the dress. The face decoration (burqa‘) is distinctively Bedouin and is worn by married women. This example is composed of an embroidered band fastened around the forehead and ornamented with beads and coins on each side. A narrow piece of fabric adorned with coins on silver chains and silver and brass coins stitched onto the fabric hangs from the brow band. The burqa‘ was worn for modesty and to protect the wearer from the heat and sand of the desert. There are 301 coins on this burqa‘. Dress: embroidery on black cotton, PHC 150 Face decoration: cotton, fine linen, silver coins, PHC 151 Shawl: embroidery on cotton, PHC 153