Bethlehem thobe

Bethlehem thobe
Ethnographic collection / Thobes (heritage dresses)
Date made Circa 1850 - 1900

A Malak (king) thobe (dress) from the Bethlehem area, its fabric was made using a handloom and it is distinguished by its dark colour and sparse tatreez (embroidery). It is embroidered with gilded and silk threads that are predominately orange. The chest panel of the thobe is embroidered with plant shapes and tahriri stitch (couching), while the edges are surrounded by the manajil (sickles) motif. The shoulders and behind the chest panel at the back rudha (upper back neckline) are made of a different type of fabric; the shoulders are covered with the Abu Wardeh flower-printed fabric to which epaulettes are affixed, while attached to the back rudha is a piece of cloth primarily made up of the colours maroon, brown, and beige. This piece of cloth was added afterwards. The sleeves are mradan (long triangular sleeves), draped and embroidered at the edges. A red and orange Hermazi (silk) fabric of red and orange was used in the arm area, while the front and back panels of the thobe have no tatreez. The sides (al-Banayiq) of the thobe have light tatreez made up of geometric shapes on the Hermazi fabric. The thobe has also been patched up in many areas with Hermazi fabric.

Object details

Town
Bethlehem
Materials
Linen
Silk
Width
136 cm
Length
141 cm
Use
Daily Wear Thobe