The Palestinian Museum permanent collection

A thobe (dress) from the Bir al-Sabi’ area made of black linen and cotton and embroidered with the Fallahi (peasant) cross stitch made of predominately red silk thread overlapping with blue, yellow, and green colours. The chest panel of the thobe is adorned with heavy tatreez (embroidery) made up of geometric shapes, as are the shoulders and the mradan (long triangular sleeves). The lower front panel of the thobe is embroidered with broad stitch patterns made up of geometric shapes, as are the sides (al-Banayiq), which are connected with the tatreez of the front and back areas.

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.

A bag made of white linen and cotton surrounded with embroidered plant shapes, in the middle of which is a full flowerpot motif. Its tatreez (embroidery) is made of red, yellow, green, and blue threads. The bag has a wooden handle with camels and roses burnt-carved into it, and on it is written in Arabic (Made in Hebron).

A Malak (king) thobe (dress) from the Bethlehem area, its fabric was made using a handloom and it is distinguished by its dark colour and sparse tatreez (embroidery). It is embroidered with gilded and silk threads that are predominately orange. The chest panel of the thobe is embroidered with plant shapes and tahriri stitch (couching), while the edges are surrounded by the manajil (sickles) motif.

A burqa (face veil) from the South Sinai and 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, and it has a string to be extended behind the head area to fasten the burqa. The shakkah, the front piece of the burqa that covers the face is made of Hermazi (silk) fabric and embroidered with manajil (sickles) motifs made of silk threads, from which a dense group of Ottoman coins hangs. From both sides of the shakkah hang 5 silver chains known as ma’ari.

A bride’s mirror holder and kohl (eyeliner) maker made of cotton and cloth. It is embroidered with geometric and plant shapes and its tatreez (embroidery) is made of red, black, and orange silk threads. It has an opening at the top in which the kohl bottle is placed, and from its lower part hangs the mirror wrapped in a piece of cloth and decorated with coloured lace and beads. It is decorated with pieces of Ottoman currency.

Iraqiyya from the southern Hebron area is a small headwrap made of heavy cotton cloth entirely embroidered with predominately red silk threads. It holds several coins which hang down the sides and are called laffayef or laffalef; they are embroidered with silk threads and end in wool tassels decorated with blue beads. The bride would typically wrap the tassels around her hair or her neck to hang on her chest.

A 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 two coins are hung. From both of the front sides hang mitwah (chains) of beads and amber ending with a coin. The shakkah, the front piece of the burqa that covers the face is made of Hermazi (silk) fabric and in the middle is a row of Ottoman coins while on both sides is a dense group of silver Ottoman coins. From one side of the shakkah hangs 5 silver chains known as ma’ari.

A tatreez (embroidery) pattern on Etamine fabric of a cypress tree and the word Palestine in English. The pattern is made of green and pink silk thread.

Saffeh (cap) from the Ramallah area made of cotton and fully embroidered with threads of red silk interspersed with other colours. With it comes a white iqal (cord accessory) covered in white cotton cloth to which a piece of velvet cloth was added to the back. From the rear velvet piece hangs 4 large pieces of Ottoman-era currency. At the front of the saffeh is a row of authentic Ottoman coins lined from the inside with a patterned cotton cloth. The saffeh used to be part of the bride’s dowry, to be worn on her wedding day and throughout the days following the ceremony.