Thobe

NameDress

Artist Artist Not Recorded

CulturePalestinian

Date1930s

Place madeIsdud / Esdud, Gaza subdisdrict / Bayt Daras, Historic Palestine, Middle East/West Asia, Asia

Mediumlinen, silk

Dimensionsoverall: 1 M 36.5 CM X 1 M 42 CM (SLEEVE TIP TO SLEEVE TIP)

Credit LineIFAF Collection

Object numberFA.1972.25.8

Collections

Palestinian Dress and Jewelry

DescriptionLinen indigo ground with wide silk vertical stripes in purple, orange, and green. V-neck with edges wrapped with red and white silk threads. Multi-colored embroidery; geometric design on pointed breastplate (Kabeh).#'s 8-62 purchased by Dr. Yedida Stillman from Mrs. Kawar.

FA. 72.25-8 Thōb (1930s) (Fig. 30) This dress, from the village of Beit Daras (now called Giv'ati), about ten kilometers southeast of Isdud, is typical of the dresses of peasant women throughout the region. The fabric is abū hizz ahmar (black cotton ground with a purple, orange, and green stripe of cotton and silk) from Majdal. The narrow band of green is only on the selvage edge of the stripe and not on both sides as in nos. FA. 72.25-22, −23, and −26. Two stripes run parallel from front to back, over the shoulders, the entire length from hem to hem. One vertical stripe runs the length of each side panel and lengthwise on the outside of each sleeve. The only embroidery on the dress front is just below the neck opening. It is executed in purple, green, yellow, and white silk cross stitch. There is a thin band of embroidery on the side panels along the stripe. The back panel has three horizontal bands of mushūṭ (“combs") in satin stitch. Between these bands, some light embroidery forms muqaṣṣ (“scissors"). The three triangular figures along the hem at the skirt back are the local version of the khēm el-bāshā (“the pasha's tent") motif. Length: 136 cm. 3356 Width: 98 cm. (Palestinian Costume and Jewelry, Yedida Kalfon Stillman, 1979 ISBN: 0-82630490-7)