The Palestinian Museum permanent collection

Tobacco pouch

A rectangular tobacco pouch of beige cotton-and-linen cloth, embroidered in fallahi cross-stitch with geometric and plant motifs, worked mainly in red silk with touches of yellow, blue, green, and other colours. Pink beads and short silk tassels trim the sides and lower edge.

Bride of Isdud thobe

An Isdud wedding thobe (dress) from the Gaza area made of black handmade linen dyed with indigo stitched with a Fallahi (peasant) cross stitch made of predominately red silk thread overlapping with yellow, pink, orange, and blue. The chest panel of the thobe is triangular and embroidered with squares arranged in a triangle and surrounded by cypress etchings from above and below. Plant and geometric shapes are embroidered from the shoulders of the thobe to the end of the sleeves, ending with a cypress stitch pattern.

Bath buqja

A square buqja (wrapping cloth) of purple velvet, embroidered in tahriri couching with plant motifs worked in gilt thread. The gilt-thread work, known as sirma, is embellished with sequins. The buqja was used to wrap and carry a bride’s bath necessities.

White Rumi thobe

A white Rumi thobe (dress) from the Ramallah area made of handmade natural linen fabric and embroidered with the Fallahi (peasant) cross stitch made with predominately red silk threads. The chest panel of the thobe is embroidered with geometric, plant, and animal shapes, among them the rooster motif as seen in the middle. This rooster motif carries religious significance for Christians. The sleeves bear several plant stitch patterns to their ends, with the rooster motif in the middle.

Sirwal

A sirwal (also shirwal), a pair of loose black cotton trousers gathered into an elasticated waist and tapering towards the ankles. The lower part of each leg is embroidered with plant and geometric motifs in red, orange, blue, green, and white silk thread.