Object Note
This article was purchased in one lot with two similar veils (ZI2018.500126.2 EGYPT) & (ZI2018.500126.3 EGYPT).
Object History
Dr. Reem Tariq El Mutwalli spotted this veil at an antique dealer and acquired it for The Zay collection.
Object Features
This long veil (shal) or (tarhah) is made of cotton metal adorned net-fabric (tur_bi_talli), adorned with gold straw (talli) or (khus) , that lends to the blackness of the article as a whole.
The talli work covers the full veil, both outer edges are adorned in 96 cm wide border of three horizontal zigzag rows that form continuous pyramid shapes known as a border (kanarat) motif crowned by and containing one single lozenge known as square (irba‘) or (muraba‘at) motif. While the selvedge edges are adorned with a repeated chevron line known as key (muftah) motif.
The central portion of the shawl is comprised of three aligned large lozenge shapes. The central lozenge is composed of repeated camel motif. While the two remaining lozenges flanking it are composed of tile (bilat_al_hamam) motif. In addition, there are four medium-sized lozenges composed of smaller lozenges, one repeated inside the other. In the area surrounding each of the large and medium lozenges, a cross-like (bada‘_al_salban) motif is repeated. Twelve smaller lozenges appear next to each lozenge shape, consisting of smaller lozenges, one repeated inside the other. The remaining space is covered by a much smaller star (nujum) motif.
A 1/8-inch-wide needle is used in talli work, where the 3 mm wide talli straw is inserted into the holes of the cotton or linen net-fabric, longitudinally, horizontally, or diagonally to form various geometric shapes. Every time the straw is inserted into the fabric it is flattened by pressing it with the tip of the finger. Once the overall decorative work is realised the fabric is hammered by a special tool or a hard ball is rolled over and at times a large shell is used to rub on it to achieve an even and lustrous surface.
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