Object Note
This article was purchased in one lot two similar veils (ZI2018.500126.1 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 black cotton metal-embellished net-fabric (tur_bi_talli), adorned with silver straw (talli) or (khus) , that lends to the weightiness of the article as a whole.
The talli work covers the full veil. Both outer edges are adorned in 81 cm wide border of three rows of lozenge shapes known as a border (kanarat) motif. The first 10 cm wide row contains small, repeated lozenges, the second 46 cm wide row consists of five large lozenges, each made up of four small lozenges, and the last 25 cm wide row consists of hallow aligned lozenges of medium size. While the selvedge edges are adorned with a repeated chevron line known as key (muftah) motif.
The (talli) work requires a needle 1/8 inch wide. The 3 mm wide talli straw is inserted into the holes in the cotton or linen fabric, longitudinally, horizontally, or diagonally to form various geometric shapes. Each time the straw is inserted into the fabric, it is pressed with the tip of the finger to flatten it, and after finishing decorating the fabric, it is hammered with a specific tool, or a hard ball is rolled over it.
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