A Bedouin burqa (face veil) from the Bir al-Sabi’ region. The front is made of cotton and embroidered with geometric shapes using a light soft stitch from which coins are hung. On both sides are cotton strings to be wrapped around the head. From both sides of the front hang mitwah (chains) of blue beads, onyx, coral, and amber ending in metal coins. Attached to the front from the centre is a shakkah, the front piece of the burqa that covers the face, made of Hermazi (silk) fabric and embroidered with silk threads, from which a row of Ottoman coins hangs.
Object details
Town
Bir al-Sabi'
Materials
Agete
Cotton
Silk
Silver
Coral
Amber
Width
52 cm
Length
43 cm
Collection
Use
Burqa
