Tasselled felt skull cap – Egypt

Object History 

This piece was donated to The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative by Akram Al Nagdy in 2023 to be added to and enhance the collection. The piece was acquired by purchase in May of 2023, during one of his trips to his hometown of Cairo.  

Currently a marketing and communications professional, Mr Al Nagdy works as a content manager at one of the world’s largest PR and advertising agencies. With experience in several industries, Al Nagdy’s passion for history and heritage led him to create The Royal Couturier, a blog documenting the history of fashion and jewellery of the royal family of Egypt and the princely family of Monaco, special focus on HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco, in 2011. 

After learning about The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative and its objectives through social media, Mr Al Nagdy approached one of the trustees and offered to be a consultant. We at The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. are grateful for all of Mr Al Nagdy’s contributions and help.  

During his trip to Cairo in the summer of 2023, Mr. Al Nagdy’s history aficionado parents took him to some of the landmarks of Fatimid and Khedival Cairo. In Wekalet El Ghoury, he found the storefront of Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed El Tarabeeshy, one of the very few tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

makers left in Egypt. 

After recognizing them, Mr Al Nagdy spontaneously decided to buy a tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

to be donated to The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period.. Since every tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

is fitted to the wearer’s head, this piece was tailored to fit Al Nagdy’s father.  

Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed El Tarabeeshy’s business was established shortly after the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

was mandated for government officials in Egypt in the late 1800s, now managed by Ahmed Mohammed, the 9th generation of a family of tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

makers. For a long time, Ahmed El Tarabeeshy was the official purveyor of the royal court, producing tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

for palace officials as well as the king himself. The then-large enterprise shrank in size after the mandate for tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

was lifted following the abolishment of the monarchy.  

Using a century-old machine with the royal emblem, today the factory produces tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

for nostalgic history lovers, TV and film productions, and bands. The business’s main product, however, is the (Immah) Azhareya, which is worn by Azhar sheikhs. It has quite a similar feel to the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

, but features a white fabric band that’s wrapped around it. 

Further details on the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

maker, along with the cultural significance, history, and heritage of the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

in Egyptian society, are explored in the article "The Tarbush: A History of Change," authored by Mr. Al Nagdy for The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative. 

Object Features  

This is a flat-topped skull cap (tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

) constructed of red felt. It has a lining of red silk of (satin Sātin: (Arabic: Zaytuni: from Chinese port of Zayton in Quanzhou province where it was exported from and acquired by Arab merchants), one of the three basic types of woven fabric with a glossy top surface and a dull back. Originated in China and was fundamentally woven in silk.) weave and brown leather. Closely resembling the Tunisian (shashiyah Shāshīyah: (Arabic: shash: gauze, synonym: ‘araqchīn, ṭāqīyah / ṭāgīyah, gahfīyah), customarily it is a short, rounded, bowl resembling, cloth skullcap. It can come in a variety of forms and finishes and often embroidered, crocheted, or knitted. It is worn by itself or under other head garments, by men throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds.) and the Ottoman Turkish (fez

Fez: (Ottoman Turkish: fes boyası - madder

Madder: (Latin: Rubia tinctorum – Eurasian herb), rose madder, common madder or dyer's madder is a vegetable dye made from the roots of a perennial plant belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family. It has been used extensively as a vegetable red dye across the globe from India to England.  

to Arabic Fez – Moroccan city; Synonym: tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this headwear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and was named after the Moroccan city where the dye was extracted.

), the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

is usually narrower, fitting with a taller structure where the crown sits higher on the head. 

Constricted of wool imported from Turkey, it is embellished with a tassel made of black, thinly braided silk floss Floss: (Old French: flosche – nap of velvet), is a type of silk fibre obtained from the cocoons of wild silkworms. It is characterized by its long, fluffy fibers that are not tightly woven, making it ideal for use in various textile applications such as embroidery, lace-making, and sewing. thread that sprouts from the middle of the crown. The tassel is spread along one side and secured in place with a thin line of stitch midway, with the rest of it to dangle freely. The piece is thoroughly hand-stitched and has no other embellishment.  

It is noteworthy that the highest quality wool used for crafting the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

historically originated from Austria, which was also the leading producer of the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

in Europe. This prominence may be attributed to the Bosnian infantry regiments of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, who were distinguished by their use of the fez

Fez: (Ottoman Turkish: fes boyası - madder

Madder: (Latin: Rubia tinctorum – Eurasian herb), rose madder, common madder or dyer's madder is a vegetable dye made from the roots of a perennial plant belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family. It has been used extensively as a vegetable red dye across the globe from India to England.  

to Arabic Fez – Moroccan city; Synonym: tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this headwear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and was named after the Moroccan city where the dye was extracted.

or tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

from their inception in 1885 until the conclusion of World War I. 

More Info 

The reign of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II (1785-1839) witnessed the ‘tanzimat’ or reforms, a series of which were later continued by his successors, Sultan Abdülmecid I (1839-61) and Sultan Abdülaziz (1861-76). As a subject of many controversies, the ‘tanzimat’ was often written off by Western critics as an appeasement policy by the Ottomans to garner European support during critical moments.  

One significant aspect of the 'tanzimat' was the curtailing of power of the Janissary corps, the elite unit of the Ottoman Sultan's household troops, established either by Sultan Orhan Gazi (1323-1362) or his son Sultan Murad I (1362-1389) in the 14th century. To counter the Janissaries' growing influence, Mahmud I pursued a policy of modernization through Westernization, implementing socio-political reforms, including sumptuary laws that allowed men to wear Western clothing in public. 

By c. 1820s, European clothes started replacing the traditional Ottoman costumes at court and spread through society. One setback, however, was the Ottoman turban. As the ‘tanzimat’ aimed for more equality amongst its citizens, at least apparently, the Ottoman turban acted as a marker to differentiate between a Muslim from a non-Muslim within the Empire. Considered as an integral part of Islamic costume, it was tricky and unacceptable to just abandon it altogether for the sake of further consolidation of the Empire. 

To address this, the Sultan realized the need for an alternative headwear that met religious requirements. The western equivalent of brimmed hats did not meet the religious requirements as it prevented men from pressing their heads to the ground while praying.  

Legend has it that Sultan Mahmud I was gifted a Tunisian (chechyah), which he considered a good compromise. Subsequently, the iconic Ottoman Turkish (fez

Fez: (Ottoman Turkish: fes boyası - madder

Madder: (Latin: Rubia tinctorum – Eurasian herb), rose madder, common madder or dyer's madder is a vegetable dye made from the roots of a perennial plant belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family. It has been used extensively as a vegetable red dye across the globe from India to England.  

to Arabic Fez – Moroccan city; Synonym: tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this headwear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and was named after the Moroccan city where the dye was extracted.

) was introduced to society through the Janissary corps, who rebelled against wearing it, resulting in their final crush paving the way for Mahmud I to officially introduce a “modern” Ottoman army with the fez

Fez: (Ottoman Turkish: fes boyası - madder

Madder: (Latin: Rubia tinctorum – Eurasian herb), rose madder, common madder or dyer's madder is a vegetable dye made from the roots of a perennial plant belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family. It has been used extensively as a vegetable red dye across the globe from India to England.  

to Arabic Fez – Moroccan city; Synonym: tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this headwear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and was named after the Moroccan city where the dye was extracted.

as a part of their uniform. The eventual acceptance of the fez

Fez: (Ottoman Turkish: fes boyası - madder

Madder: (Latin: Rubia tinctorum – Eurasian herb), rose madder, common madder or dyer's madder is a vegetable dye made from the roots of a perennial plant belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family. It has been used extensively as a vegetable red dye across the globe from India to England.  

to Arabic Fez – Moroccan city; Synonym: tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this headwear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and was named after the Moroccan city where the dye was extracted.

led to the formal adoption of it as part of the Ottoman court's attire, including military and bureaucratic personnel, through a royal decree around 1826, regardless of religious, ethnic, or social background. 

In Egypt, a similar headwear known as the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

became associated with the aristocracy or 'effendy'. Although resembling the fez

Fez: (Ottoman Turkish: fes boyası - madder

Madder: (Latin: Rubia tinctorum – Eurasian herb), rose madder, common madder or dyer's madder is a vegetable dye made from the roots of a perennial plant belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family. It has been used extensively as a vegetable red dye across the globe from India to England.  

to Arabic Fez – Moroccan city; Synonym: tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this headwear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and was named after the Moroccan city where the dye was extracted.

in its use of red wool and construction, the tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

featured a taller crown and narrower fit. The tarboush

Ṭarbūsh: (Turkish: terpos – turban; from Persian serposh – headdress; Synonym: fez), a type of traditional skull cap with a high crown. With a possible Mediterranean origin, this head wear gained popularity in the late Ottoman period and became the forerunner of other similar caps with slight variations.

held the status of elite headwear in Egypt for nearly a century and a half until the 1952 coup that deposed King Farouk, after which it rapidly fell out of fashion and disappeared from the streets of Egypt, becoming a relic of the past. 

Links 

• Mehrez, S. Costumes of Egypt. First, Institut Français D’Archéologie Orientale, 2023. 
• Rugh, A. B. Reveal and Conceal. First, Syracuse University Press, 1986. 
• Bos, J. Egypt’s Wearable Heritage. First, Blikvelduitgevers Publishers, 2016. 
• RAWI Egypt’s Heritage Review, no. 11, 2021. 
• Devine, Dawn, and Alisha Westerfeld. The Cloth of Egypt All About Assiut: Assiut – Asyut – Tulle-Bi-Telli. Ibexa Press, 2014.  
• Golden Ages, Dark Ages: Imagining the Past in Anthropology and History. United States, University of California Press, 2021. 
• Baker, Patricia L. A History of Islamic Court Dress in the Middle East, Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of London, 1986. 
• Ahmed, Doaa, and Marwa Yassin. “The art of traditional embroidery of Siwa Oasis as an inspiration source for the design of innovative woven women’s clothing fabrics.” International Design Journal, vol. 13, no. 4, 1 July 2023, pp. 235–257, https://doi.org/10.21608/idj.2023.305345. 
• Lugatism. “Headwear and Footwear in the Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517 CE).” Lugatism, 14 Feb. 2024, https://lugatism.wordpress.com/2022/06/22/headwear-and-footwear-in-the-mamluk-sultanate-2/ 
• “The Tanzimat Reforms (1839–76).” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/place/Ottoman-Empire/The-Tanzimat-reforms-1839-76. Accessed 31 Mar. 2024. 
• “Ancient Egyptian Agriculture.” Ancient Egyptian Agriculture | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, https://www.fao.org/country-showcase/item-detail/en/c/1287824/#:~:text=Their%20farming%20practices%20allowed%20them,field%20planting%20in%20the%20floodplains. 
• Maadi, CSA. “Ten Thousand Years of Wearing Linen.” CSA Reviving Community, CSA Reviving Community, 3 Aug. 2023, https://csa-living.org/oasis-blog/ten-thousand-years-of-wearing-linen