Mendil Ḥajj

Namepilgrimage scarf, head scarf/shawl

CulturePalestinian

Dateca. 1930s

Place madeAleppo, Syria, Middle East or West Asia, Asia

Mediumsilk, wool

Dimensionsoverall: 1 M 58 CM X 1 M 70 CM

Credit LineIFAF Collection

Object numberFA.1972.25.5 F

Collections

Palestinian Dress and Jewelry

DescriptionSilk warp, wool weft. Gold ground with white and gold hand embroidery; chain stitch. Two edges are fringed wit hsmall braided cording; other two edges are formed by the selvage.

FA. 72.25-5f Mendil Ḥajj (1930s) This kind of mendil was given to wives by husbands who made the pilgrimage to Mecca. It is thus called mendil ḥajj or “pilgrimage scarf." It was folded to form a triangle and worn on the head. This mendil is of orange silk ghabānī cloth which was woven in Aleppo, Syria. The all-over pattern of flowers in diamonds is distinctive of this fabric. The orange and white silk embroidery is machine chain-stitched and is called in Arabic taṭriz ruhbānī (“monk stitching"). The tassels on the two ends are formed from the warp threads. Length: 169 cm. Width: 158 cm. (Palestinian Costume and Jewelry, Yedida Kalfon Stillman, 1979 ISBN: 0-82630490-7)