Embellished Tulle Scarf – Dibba Al Hisn

Object History 

This piece was gifted to Dr. Reem Tariq

Ṭariq: (Arabic; Synonym: tulle_bi_talli

Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the Levant Arab region specifically in Lebanon.

El Mutwalli Dr. Reem Tariq

Ṭariq: (Arabic; Synonym: tulle_bi_talli

Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the Levant Arab region specifically in Lebanon.

el Mutwallī: Founder (CEO) of the Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative, a public figure, speaker and author. An expert curator and consultant in Islamic art and architecture, interior design, historic costume, and UAE heritage. from Fatima Ahmed Mahmoud Amir of Dibba Al Hisn in 1998. The artifact was bestowed upon her as a gift on her sister’s wedding day by Mrs. Aisha Ahmed Rashid, the artisan responsible for its creation. 

Dr. Reem eventually added the piece, The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative collection, to enhance and enrich it. 

Object Features  

This is a traditional head scarf Scarf: (English), usually a rectangular piece of cloth loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. (shaylah Shaylah: (Colloquial Gulf Arabic), a length of fabric used as shawl, head cover or veil. Also known as (wigāyah) or (milfa’), generally made from sheer fabrics such as tulle (tūr), cotton gauze (wasmah Wasmah: (Arabic: woad), is derived from the woad herb (wasmah) used to dye the cotton gauze black. It is mainly used for headcovers or veils and overgarments in most of the Arab gulf region.) (nidwah) or (Nīl), or silk chiffon (sarī).) / (shaylah Shaylah: (Colloquial Gulf Arabic), a length of fabric used as shawl, head cover or veil. Also known as (wigāyah) or (milfa’), generally made from sheer fabrics such as tulle (tūr), cotton gauze (wasmah Wasmah: (Arabic: woad), is derived from the woad herb (wasmah) used to dye the cotton gauze black. It is mainly used for headcovers or veils and overgarments in most of the Arab gulf region.) (nidwah) or (Nīl), or silk chiffon (sarī). tur Tūr: (Arabised from French: tulle), refers to a net-like soft, fine silk, cotton, or nylon material, used for making veils and dresses. In colloquial Arabic the letter (L) is turned into (ra).  mnaghadah Mnaghadah: (Arabic: mnaqad: with coins). Since silver was a form of currency, it came to refer to silver adorned garments. The term refers to articles decorated with silver (tallī) straw (khūs) in small coin-like dots. In the Arab Gulf region, the terms (mnaghadah), (mnaghad) (nighdah) and (tallī) are often used interchangeably, with the (qāf) pronounced (gha) colloquially. wurud

Wurūd: (Arabic), refers to printed or embroidered floral motifs.

) / (shaylah Shaylah: (Colloquial Gulf Arabic), a length of fabric used as shawl, head cover or veil. Also known as (wigāyah) or (milfa’), generally made from sheer fabrics such as tulle (tūr), cotton gauze (wasmah Wasmah: (Arabic: woad), is derived from the woad herb (wasmah) used to dye the cotton gauze black. It is mainly used for headcovers or veils and overgarments in most of the Arab gulf region.) (nidwah) or (Nīl), or silk chiffon (sarī). talli

Tallī: (Turkish: tel – wire, string), Gulf Arab – a woven braided trimming made with metal wire, threads and ribbons often sewn on detachable panels used as embellishments. Other – (Synonym: tulle_bi_talli

Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; khus_dozi), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

) / (shaylah Shaylah: (Colloquial Gulf Arabic), a length of fabric used as shawl, head cover or veil. Also known as (wigāyah) or (milfa’), generally made from sheer fabrics such as tulle (tūr), cotton gauze (wasmah Wasmah: (Arabic: woad), is derived from the woad herb (wasmah) used to dye the cotton gauze black. It is mainly used for headcovers or veils and overgarments in most of the Arab gulf region.) (nidwah) or (Nīl), or silk chiffon (sarī). khusah Khūṣah: (Arabic: straw, pl. khūs), flat silver or metallic flat straw used in embroidery or tallī making. ) commonly worn by women of the countries from the Arabian Peninsula.  

A (selvedge Selvedge: (English: Self-finished edge or self-edge: a dialect forming transition), an edge produced on woven fabric during manufacture that prevents it from unravelling. Traditionally the term selvage applied to only loom woven fabric, presently it could be applied to flat knitted fabric too. ) to selvedge Selvedge: (English: Self-finished edge or self-edge: a dialect forming transition), an edge produced on woven fabric during manufacture that prevents it from unravelling. Traditionally the term selvage applied to only loom woven fabric, presently it could be applied to flat knitted fabric too.  woven black tulle fabric, of possibly synthetic material, the piece is heavily adorned with metal plates or wires (khus Khūṣ: (Arabic: straw, sing. khūṣah), flat silver or metallic flat straw used in embroidery or tallī making.), possibly silver, in hammered style (naqdah Naqdah: (Arabic: coins, synonyms: mnaghadah, naghdah, mnaghadah) Since silver was a form of currency, it came to refer to silver adorned garments. The term refers to articles decorated with silver (tallī) straw (khūs) in small coin-like dots. The (qāf) is pronounced (gha) colloquially.) embellishments. The central field of the piece is adorned with repeats of small silver specs of metal plates or wires that form the base layer with overlayers of floral and geometric patterns. 

This is followed by repeats of large star-shaped floral patterns. Each floral pattern can be roughly divided into four segments. The outermost segment is composed of concentric heart-shaped repeats, which is followed by a series of straight lines forming a sunburst pattern with a concentric circular base forming the third segment. 

At the centre of the circles sits a small floral pattern. Repeats of concentric rhombus shapes connect each floral pattern diagonally to one another, while repeats of a small concentric heart-shaped pattern sit at the centre, flanked by the floral patterns at four corners. 

The piece also displays a wide decorative panel along one of the (weft Weft: one of the two basic components used in weaving that transforms thread or yarns into a piece of fabric. It is the crosswise thread on a loom that is passed over and under the warp threads.) edges. It is composed of star-shaped floral repeats flanked by foliage pattern along a thin, wavy vine over a base of a thin, straight line, giving the edge a solid border.  

More Info 

Although such naqdah Naqdah: (Arabic: coins, synonyms: mnaghadah, naghdah, mnaghadah) Since silver was a form of currency, it came to refer to silver adorned garments. The term refers to articles decorated with silver (tallī) straw (khūs) in small coin-like dots. The (qāf) is pronounced (gha) colloquially. embellished veils were once a popular item amongst the masses, often employing precious metals such as silver and gold plates for embellishments, they are now quite hard to find. Today, they are primarily donned by the elderly, especially during celebrations and special occasions or can be found in a bridal trousseau.  

Generally draped over the head, covering the back of the head, neck and shoulders, it is often gathered and tucked around the forearm of the wearer, thus firmly framing the face with shimmering adornments. If worn by a bride, however, the veil is pulled down the front, covering the face, revealing only the silhouette across a shimmering curtain to the onlookers. 

The embellishment technique that traditionally used precious metals such as silver and sometimes gold could be deemed as the physical manifestation of the traditional Arabic idiom ‘zinah wa khazinah’, which roughly translates to ‘beauty and wealth together’, since the decorative element both enhances the beauty of the garment and stands as a testament to the status of the wearer.