Embellished veil with metallic straw - UAE

Object Note
The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Collection has six identical examples of this silver embellished veil (shaylah_mnaghadah) also known as (shaylah_talli) or (shaylah_khusah).
 
Object History 
This example was acquired in the 1980s at the shop of Abdullah Khunji Khunjī: Abdullah Hussain Khunjī is a renowned Emirati fabric merchant of Iranian origin. He opened the first specialised textile store in Abu Dhabi central market after returning from a trip to Switzerland companying the late UAE founding father Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan early 1970’s. Today he commands a fleet of stores and businesses across the seven emirates. in Abu Dhabi, one of the Emirates' oldest and most prominent fabric merchants. Dr. Reem Tariq el Mutwalli Dr. Reem Tariq 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. knew Abdullah from childhood as her mother was one of his early clients. Abdullah sold her six examples of this type of veil during the period Dr. Reem was studying for her Ph.D. because he felt that they would become rare one day and that she would appreciate their historical value. An accurate prediction!
 
Object Features
This veil (shaylah Shaylah: (Colloquial Gulf Arabic), a length of fabric used as shawl Shawl: (Persian: shāl from Hindi: duśālā – Shoulder Mantle), a shawl is a South Asian version of a scarf Scarf: (English), usually a rectangular piece of cloth loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. worn or wrapped loosely over the shoulders and is usually made of wool. , head cover or veil. Also known as (wigāyah) or (milfa Milfa’: (Arabic: to cover), shawl Shawl: (Persian: shāl from Hindi: duśālā – Shoulder Mantle), a shawl is a South Asian version of a scarf Scarf: (English), usually a rectangular piece of cloth loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. worn or wrapped loosely over the shoulders and is usually made of wool.  or veil worn by women in the Arab Gulf regions and some areas of the Levant to cover the head.’), 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).) is an example of a heavily adorned, yet more affordable veils that began to appear in the early 1980s. They were made in imitation of the expensive, pure silver straw adorned ones, that soon ceased to exist after the 1970s.
Although these silver imitation head veils were themselves a popular mass market product for a decade, and they are now quite hard to find. Today they are worn mainly by the elderly, or placed in a bride’s trousseau. As a result, they have become collectible in their own right.
This veil takes its name from the three-leafed paisley Paisley: (Scottish Gaelic, Pàislig: a town in Scotland), often called buta Būta: (Anglicized Persian: boteh – Pinecone shaped motif), known as paisley in English it is the almond or pinecone-shaped motif, especially in textiles. It is believed to have originated from the Cyprus tree a Zoroastrian symbol for life and eternity. In the current Indian context, however, it simply means motif., boteh, amli, or kalgi in the subcontinent and kazuwah in Arabic, is a Persian tear drop motif with a curved end specially in textiles. Its popularity and subsequent local production in 18th century at Paisley are responsible for its nomenclature. (kazuwah) design that forms the principal motif referencing the Indian (butah) design and features a three-leafed flower of metallic silver coloured straw (khus Khūṣ: (Arabic: straw, sing. khūṣah), flat silver or metallic flat straw used in embroidery or tallī making.). The spaces in between the motifs are then filled with sprinkled dots in the same metallic silver straw (mnaghad Mnaghad: (Arabic: mnaqad: with coins, synonyms: 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., naghdah Naghdah: (Arabic: mnaqad: with coins, synonyms: 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., mnaghad, 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.). 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., 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.). 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.), and a geometric checkered design runs along the border on one of the longer edges of the veil, framing the wearer’s face when the article is worn.
This type of veil is generally draped off the head covering the upper body from the back, it is then gathered and tucked on each fore arm to firmly frame the face with the shimmeringly slivery adornment. If worn by a bride on her wedding night it is pulled down the forehead covering revealing just silhouette of her face to the gazing female guests.