Object History
In 1999, this piece (thawb_kandurah_ryasi) was commissioned specifically by Sheikhah Hamda bint Mohammed Al Nahyan, maternal aunt to the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as a special gift to Dr. Reem El Mutwalli to commemorate the attainment her Ph.D. Sheikha Hamda instructed the late Fatima bint Saad, a well-known palace dressmaker, to create this overgarment and tunic dress ensemble thawb_kandurah_ryasi based on the Sheikha’s own traditional wedding dress, together with gold studded face mask (burgu_ryasi bu_niyum) (ZI1999.500500 UAE) in the same style.
Sheikhah Hamda was and continues to be, a great supporter of Dr. Reem’s work and efforts in preserving and documenting aspects of UAE heritage and history. She was instrumental in opening the doors to meet with and record the oral histories of many women in al Ain, which culminated in the book; Sultani, Traditions Renewed; Changes in women’s traditional dress in the United Arab Emirates during the reign of the late Shaikh Zayid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, 1966-2004.
Object Features
Before the 1980s, it was common to employ contrasting colours and techniques within the components of the traditional dress. Women used to wear a thawb that contrasted with the tunic dress (kandurah). Soon this evolved into a matching set known as (thawb_wa_kandurah). By the 1990s, it developed further, as the two identical pieces were merged into one, attached at the neckline as they became a unified piece or combination overgarment tunic called thawb_kandurah reserved for social events.
This type is known as a thawb_kandurah, but in this example, it is known as a thawb_kandurah_ryasi. The word ryasi in Arabic means presidential and denotes high status, which is reflected in the value of the ornamentations. The garment was reserved for special occasions and, as its name suggests, was worn by the elite.
The French silk chiffon fabric on the overgarment thawb_kandurah is striped in turquoise, purple and gold brocade (zari) and is machine embroidered in metallic gilded thread zari on the neckline (halj) and central axis (bidhah) and main vertical hemlines. While the same is applied to the sleeve cuffs (hyul) of the inner tunic kandurah.
The embroidered areas are further encrusted with three types of hand-stitched 18 carat gold platelets, some of which resemble old embossed coins (hruf) or (mshakhis) :
1. Large: 20 mm diameter stamped platelet in the style of the Ottoman Lira (nirah)
2. Medium: 15 mm diameter stamped discs with an undecipherable calligraphic script hruf or mshakhis.
3. Small: gold discs with nail-like convex protrusions resembling stars (niyum)
These are further accentuated with smaller 9 mm diameter round metallic silver studs with diamante crystal centres and other even smaller silver metallic studs.
The application of these heavy adornments and embellishments on a very thin fabric creates a stiffness, and also causes the overgarment thawb_kandurah to pull forward, which makes it rather fidgety to wear.
In these combination overgarment tunics thawb_kandurah_ryasi, with time, as in this example, the cleavage opening increased in size to allow more of the neckline (halj) and upper chest area to be visible, thus enhancing the look of the contemporary western style jewel encrusted necklaces that became more popular as the region’s wealth increased. This in turn pushed the decorative heavy adornment outwards, spilling over the shoulders and flowing down the upper sleeves. The length and width of the embroidered central axis (bidhah) also gradually became more exaggerated and elaborate.
This garment thawb_kandurah_ryasi represents a physical example of the traditional Arabic saying (zinah_wa_khazinah), meaning ‘beauty and wealth in one’. The gold decorations were designed to demonstrate style and reflect social standing, but they could also be melted down and sold in times of need.
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