Araqiyyeh or Irakeye

Artist Artist unrecorded

Dateca. 1915

Place madeHebron, Historic Palestine, Middle East or West Asia, Asia

Mediumsilk, brass

Dimensionsoverall: 14 CM X 16 CM (CAP) 1 M 42 CM X 8 CM (TAILS)

ClassificationsClothing, Headwear

Credit LineIFAF Collection

Object numberFA.1972.25.1 C

DescriptionCalled Irakeye, worn under veil. Red embroidered cap with large silver coins and a tail of smaller silver coins ending with two tassels at end of braided cord.

FA. 72.25-10 ‘Arāqiyyeh (ca. 1915) (Fig. 26) This hat for married women is of cotton cloth completely covered with embroidery. The edge is highlighted with magenta, orange, and blue silk thread. The dūr or rim is decorated with pointed arches, a typical pattern for ‘arāqiyyehs. There is chartreuse, green, and red cotton braid along the very edge. The center back pieces are of red silk with yellow stripes. Large silver Ottoman coins bearing the date A.H. 1223 (A.D. 1808–9) decorate the rim. Smaller coins with the date A.H. 1327 (A.D. 1909–10) trail partially down the back. Suspended from the center back is a șafifeh, an orange and red braided cotton cord which splits and ends in two tassels. The two long, red cotton lafā'if are embroidered to half their length with multicolored cross stitch in silk. Attached to the pointed ends of these hair braids are two long braided cords of green and orange cotton terminating in a tassel. The hat is held in place by a chin chain which has two coins attached to it. Length of hair bands: 117 cm. Diameter: 17 cm. Height: 9 cm. Length of safifeh: 30 cm. (Palestinian Costume and Jewelry, Yedida Kalfon Stillman, 1979 ISBN: 0-82630490-7)

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