DepartmentTextiles-Middle East
Thobe Malakeh Abū Warda
NameDress
Artist
Artist Not Recorded
CulturePalestinian
Dateca. 1930
Place madeBethlehem, West Bank, Palestine Territory, Middle East or West Asia, ASIA
Mediumlinen, silk, metallic thread
Dimensionsoverall: 1 M 37 CM X 1 M 43 CM (FROM SLEEVE TIP TO SLEEVE TIP)
Credit LineIFAF Collection
Object numberFA.1972.25.19
Collections
FA. 72.25-19 Thõb Malakeh Abū Warda (ca. 1930) (Plate 6) A much later version of dresses nos. 2027 and 3906, this is a simple village variation of the Bethlehem style. Unlike any of the preceding dresses, there is embroidery on the yoke (khalfiyyeh or toq) as well as on the other insets. Length: 137 cm. Width: 96 cm. The thob malakeh abū warda or “flowered royal fabric.” It is similar to the malakeh but has a design of small red flowers in the stripe. Women in Bethlehem proper did not, at first, use this type of cloth. It was originally made for peasants in villages throughout Central and Southwestern Palestine who wanted to imitate the Bethlehem fashion for their bridal costume. These fabrics were woven into standard lengths of five or six yards, which was adequate for one dress. At the end of each piece silver weft threads were woven into the fabric. This part of the cloth is called muqaşşab ("brocaded with metallic thread,” qașab). The metallic thread (used in lamé fabrics) was first imported from Germany, later from France. The brocaded end piece was used for the diyāl, the back hem panel of the Bethlehem dress. Bethlehem dresses were made up of many individual pieces. (Palestinian Costume and Jewelry, Yedida Kalfon Stillman, 1979 ISBN: 0-82630490-7)
