Object Note
This tunic dress (kandurah_arabiyah) is the undergarment part of a two-piece ensemble (thawb_wa_kandurah). The companion piece to the overgarment (thawb nil) (ZI1996.5007a UAE).
Object History
The object was handmade by the grandmother of its original owner Hamamah bint Mubarak and was bequeathed to her (Mkhalaf_’alayiha). Although the seller insisted it dates from between the 1930s and 1960s, possibly more recent 1970s or 1980s.
Hamamah was in her late eighties when she decided to sell us the outfit in 1996.
Object Features
This type of tunic dress (kandurah_arabiyah) is particular to the UAE. It is a tunic with a vertical slit (shaj) located on the left side of the neckline (halj) which extends down to the chest. Its origins are believed to lie in the Punjabi (kurta).
The neckline (halj) and the cuffs (hyul) are outlined in simple stitches in a silver metallic thread. The sleeve cuffs feature an underarm gusset (bat) in a contrasting red and yellow polka dot cotton (bu_tilah) which was inserted to reinforce the garment.
The tailoring, in general, is crude, as can be seen on the front lower portion of the garment, where the manufacturer’s printed seal or logo is visible.
In this example, the slit is closed with metal press buttons called (siq_w_biq). At the time when this tunic dress (kandurah_arabiyah) was sewn, these buttons were a symbol of modernity and social status compared to others, in which ball buttons were used that were made of cotton thread and called (igam).
Traditionally, the indigo-dyed tunic dress is worn for two very different functions:
1. Everyday wear: this was a highly versatile indigo-dyed tunic dress that was ubiquitous throughout the Arabian Peninsula, especially among Bedouin tribes, until the advent of chemical dyes in the 1950s. All working women, from the urban market place stall holder selling her wares, to the rural or desert housewife going to the well to fetch water, would have worn this type of garment, as indigo-dyed clothing is traditionally valued because it moisturizes the body in a hot climate as the indigo is a natural sunscreen, in addition to its medical properties and its good effect on the skin, and the dark color of the indigo. It is also valued for helping to conceal the silhouette of the body due to its dark colour.
2. Bridal preparation: brides traditionally remained out of sight for 40 days before their wedding. During that time, they would wear the thawb_kandurah together with a head veil (shaylah) and underpants (sarwal), all coloured with the same indigo dye (sabghat_nil). With repeated wear, the dye would stain the body, and this was believed to help cure skin ailments, condition the body, and give the hair an added darker, shiny lustre. The night before the wedding week, the bride’s skin is exfoliated to remove the stain, making her skin moist, tender, and lighter.
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