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Metal embellished trousers – Bandar Abbas

Local Name	Shalvar
Object Category	Pants
Gender	Female
Place Of orgin	Asia
Region	Iran
Object Range	Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan
Dimensions	Length: 94 cm Width: 50 cm
Materials	Silk Cotton Metal
Technique	Hand Stitched Hand Embroidered
Color
Motif	Floral Geometric
Provenance	Purchased, Independent dealer, Bandar Abbas 2018
Location	The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative
Status	In Storage
ZI number	ZI2018.500127a ASIA

Object Note
Part of an ensemble containing two more items also in the collection (ZI2018.500127 ASIA, ZI2018.500127b ASIA).

Object History
This ensemble was purchased by from an independent dealer from Bandar Abbas area in south Iran in 2018.

Object Features 
These are fuchsia pink silk trousers () of () () weave traditionally worn by women of Bandar Abbas and Hormozgan areas in south Iran. They are an ankle-length pair of tapered trousers loose with a gathered waistline that has a drawstring fastening.
These are usually worn with a loose shift () of coloured cotton with a collar () and a rectangular black () made of thin silk or other sheer material by older women of the region.
The cuffs are embellished with thick metallic foil embroidered ( ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in India and parts of the subcontinent.

) borders. It could be roughly divided into two parts the six outer tiers forming a curved L shape on a black, orange, green, white, blue, and pink base and seven rectangular inner tiers on black, pink, green, white, blue, and orange base.
The colourful bases are woven with wool and the ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in India and parts of the subcontinent.

features geometric zigzag patterns in different sizes and scales. The pattern of the main fabric has repeats of large floral motifs very similar to Chinese chrysanthemums and peonies.
The is otherwise unlined except for the cuffs which are lined with plain white cotton fabric and have a black nylon zip attached vertically to fit the wearer's ankle size.
It is worth noting that the name ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in India and parts of the subcontinent.

for this type of embroidery is although the same across Iran and South Asia it is also sometimes commonly referred to as () in south Iran.
It is believed that the term ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in India and parts of the subcontinent.

is derived from the phrase ‘badal kinari’ – cloud lining – popular during the Mughal period in India as net or fine silk were often embroidered with metal pieces giving them the look of clouds with bright lines around them.
However, upon crossing the Gulf and reaching the Arabian Peninsula the nomenclature of the embroidery changes to ( ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

/ ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

), while the cuffs of women’s trousers and shirts which are detachable and could be changed are called ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in India and parts of the subcontinent.

.
These embellished broad-cuffed are not just unique to south Iran but are equally famous across the Gulf in the countries across the Arabian Peninsula such as Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and Oman. The quality of craftsmanship on this is so refined that it looks almost commercially produced in a factory, while in reality they are made at home by women of the region.
With cross-cultural lineages running deep between the communities living on either side of the Gulf, it is thus no wonder, that material culture such as this has found firm grounds on both sides.

Links

https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/clothing-xxiii

https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-iranica-online/clothing

https://iranparadise.com/irans-traditional-dress/

https://www.fantasticirantravel.com/iranian-ethnic-costumes/

https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/clothing-xxvii

https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-iranica-online/clothing

https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/clothing-xxviii

https://trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/techniques/knotting-and-netting/badla

https://trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/individual-textiles-and-textile-types/daily-and-general-garments-and-textiles

https://trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/individual-textiles-and-textile-types/daily-and-general-garments-and-textiles

https://trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/techniques/knotting-and-netting/badla

Metal embellished trousers – Bandar Abbas

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