Ornamental head cover

NameHead cover

CultureHarb Tribe (Beni Saleem/Bani Salim)

Date20th century

Place madeHejaz, Saudi Arabia, Middle East, Asia

MediumCotton, metal nacre (button), silk, wool, beads

Dimensions29 15/16 × 32 3/8 × 7/8 in. (76.1 × 82.2 × 2.3 cm)

Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, gift of Anne Marie Weiss-Armush, A.2018.5.7

Object numberA.2018.5.7

ProvenanceThe donor married a Syrian man and moved to Saudi Arabia in 1976, where she lived for 11 years. During her stay she amassed a large collection of Middle Eastern garments.

DescriptionWorn over another layer, this headcover consists of three orange cotton strips lined in natural colored cotton and decorative wool-fringed panel that hangs low on the back. The upper section of the panel consists of three embroidered squares, each centered with a peaked wheel and enhanced with metal beads. The second section of three separate pieces consists of embroidered diamond patterns in brown and ochre enhanced with metal beads. From this hang wrapped and beaded fringe. White buttons separate the sections. Long woven and beaded lappets hang at each temple. Joining the two outer orange strips is a narrow one covered in buttons and with green wool fringe ending each strand with a white bead.