Silver thread adorned overgarment – UAE

Object History 
Dr. Reem Tariq El Mutwalli Dr. Reem Tariq el Mutwallī: Founder (CEO) of the Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative, a public figure, speaker and author. An expert curator and consultant in Islamic art and architecture, interior design, historic costume, and UAE heritage. was initially contacted on Instagram by Mariam Khalfan Mohammed Khalifah al Maydi  al Badwawi, who offered to volunteer and help source old artefacts from the northern Emirates for the Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Collection. Mariam connects easily with people, patiently explains the Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative’s role, and convinces others to help the cause. This overgarment (thawb Thawb: (Arabic: thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thobe Thobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or tobe Tobe: (Arabic:  thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. or tobe Tobe: (Arabic:  thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women in the Arabian Gulf region.   dam‘at_farid Dam‘at_farīd: (Arabic: dam’ah Dam’ah: (Arabic: tear drop), colloquially in the UAE the term refers to the downward cutout of the outer edge on a face mask (burgu) from the temples to the cheeks.: tear, farīd: unique), colloquial UAE term refers to type of net fabric with small tear shaped cut-out holes. According to local belief, the term is associated with Farid al Atrash, a famed Syrian singer known for his sad love songs. khwar Khwār: (colloquial, UAE) refers to machine embroidery in silk thread (brīsam), gold metallic coil (zarī), or pure silver coil (khwār_tūlah). It typically decorates the neckline opening (ḥalj) and sleeve cuffs of the tunic (kandūrah), the chest (bidḥah) on the overgarment (thawb) or ankle-cuffs of underpants (sarwāl).  It is also known as (mkhawar Mkhawar: (colloquial, UAE) refers to machine embroidery in silk thread (brīsam), gold metallic coil (zarī), or pure silver coil (khwār_tūlah). It typically decorates the neckline opening (ḥalj) and sleeve cuffs of the tunic (kandūrah), the chest (bidḥah) on the overgarment (thawb) or ankle-cuffs of underpants (sarwāl).  It is also known as (khwār), (takhwīr), (dag), or (ḍarb).), (takhwīr), (dag), or (ḍarb). tulah Tūlah (Urdu and Sanskrit: tula, and Punjabi: tolaka), a unit of measurement adopted for the main mass of the weights and measurements system in Anglo-India since 1833, although it was used earlier in several regions such as Aden and Zanzibar. The (tula) has no precise weight, it is around 12g and 12.5g. In the colloquial UAE dialect, the word refers to silver.) is one of her finds.
 
Object Features 
This piece was possibly imported from India as a ready-made, wafer thin, teardrop cut-out (dam‘at_farid Dam‘at_farīd: (Arabic: dam’ah Dam’ah: (Arabic: tear drop), colloquially in the UAE the term refers to the downward cutout of the outer edge on a face mask (burgu) from the temples to the cheeks.: tear, farīd: unique), colloquial UAE term refers to type of net fabric with small tear shaped cut-out holes. According to local belief, the term is associated with Farid al Atrash, a famed Syrian singer known for his sad love songs.) silk with decorative neckline (tarchibah Tarchībah: (Arabic: tarkībah: to fix or add on). In the UAE the term refers to ready-made silver embroidered dress parts, mainly the neckline (ḥalj) or sleeve cuffs (ḥyūl) on garments, imported from India before the 1970s. Because of its high value, it was transferred from a garment to another (jal’), or its silver was melted and sold when needed. The letter (kāf) in some Arabic regions is colloquially pronounced (cha). The term is also more widely used elsewhere to refer to any added applications such as ruffles or belts. or jal‘ah Jal‘ah: (Arabic: qala’a: to take off or detach), referring to ready-made sections of silver embroidered components imported from India to the Arab gulf region pre-1970s. Weighed in (tūlah), the main mass of the weights and measurements system of Anglo-India since 1833. They typically decorated the collar (ḥalj) of tunics (kandūrah), and the chest (bidḥah) on the overgarment (thawb). It was recycled from one garment to another due to its high value. In times of need it could be melted down and sold as silver. Also referred to as (jal’), (tarchībah), or (tarkībah). ) composed of silver and gilded coil machine-embroidery (khwar Khwār: (colloquial, UAE) refers to machine embroidery in silk thread (brīsam), gold metallic coil (zarī), or pure silver coil (khwār_tūlah). It typically decorates the neckline opening (ḥalj) and sleeve cuffs of the tunic (kandūrah), the chest (bidḥah) on the overgarment (thawb) or ankle-cuffs of underpants (sarwāl).  It is also known as (mkhawar Mkhawar: (colloquial, UAE) refers to machine embroidery in silk thread (brīsam), gold metallic coil (zarī), or pure silver coil (khwār_tūlah). It typically decorates the neckline opening (ḥalj) and sleeve cuffs of the tunic (kandūrah), the chest (bidḥah) on the overgarment (thawb) or ankle-cuffs of underpants (sarwāl).  It is also known as (khwār), (takhwīr), (dag), or (ḍarb).), (takhwīr), (dag), or (ḍarb). tulah Tūlah (Urdu and Sanskrit: tula, and Punjabi: tolaka), a unit of measurement adopted for the main mass of the weights and measurements system in Anglo-India since 1833, although it was used earlier in several regions such as Aden and Zanzibar. The (tula) has no precise weight, it is around 12g and 12.5g. In the colloquial UAE dialect, the word refers to silver.) and coloured red and blue silk thread (brisam Brīsam: (Persian: Aabrēšam, Syriac: Aprišum ‘Um: (Arabic: mother), a sign of respect or formality, women are not addressed by their own names, rather as mother of, then adding the name of the eldest son as in Um Mohammed. Also can mean: with, for example (‘um mishakhiṣ) meaning with gold embellishment., English: prism). Generally, refers to the finest form of silk thread. Also pronounced (ibrīsam).), delineating a primitive, simple collar (halj Ḥalj: (Arabic: ḥalq: mouth, pl: ḥlūj,). Colloquially, the term refers to the neckline opening. The letter (qāf) is turned (jīm) in many Arab dialects.) and central axis (bidhah Bidḥah:  (Arabic: qata'a or shaqqa: to cut or split). In Emirati dialect, the term refers to the chest area of a garment generally decorated in embroidery or other embellishments.), both hand-tailored at the seams.
The cleavage opening of the neckline (bidhah Bidḥah:  (Arabic: qata'a or shaqqa: to cut or split). In Emirati dialect, the term refers to the chest area of a garment generally decorated in embroidery or other embellishments.) is about 12 cm wide and 11 cm long just enough to allow the silver embroidery on the tunic underneath to be visible. The outer square shape of the neckline starts and ends in line with the shoulder seam.
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 Thawb: (Arabic: thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thobe Thobe: (Arabic: thawb, Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or tobe Tobe: (Arabic:  thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. or tobe Tobe: (Arabic:  thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can also refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women in the Arabian Gulf region.  ) that contrasted with the tunic dress (kandurah Kandūrah: (Arabic: qandūrah, pl. kanādīr, synonyms: ghandurah Ghandūrah: (Arabic, pl. qanādīr, synonyms: qandurah, darā’ah, dishdāshah, jalābah, jallābīyah, qaftan, mqta’, thawb or tobe), a loose, short or long-sleeved, shirt like (qamis) tunic with frontal neckline opening, worn by both sexes. Each Arab region has a different term for what is essentially a similar garment with various small differences., qandurah Qandūrah: (Arabic, pl. qanādīr, synonyms: ghandurah Ghandūrah: (Arabic, pl. qanādīr, synonyms: qandurah, darā’ah, dishdāshah, jalābah, jallābīyah, qaftan, mqta’, thawb or tobe), a loose, short or long-sleeved, shirt like (qamis) tunic with frontal neckline opening, worn by both sexes. Each Arab region has a different term for what is essentially a similar garment with various small differences., darā’ah, dishdāshah, jalābah, jallābīyah, qaftan, mqta’, thawb or tobe Tobe: (Arabic:  thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. ), a loose, short or long-sleeved, shirt like (qamis) tunic with frontal neckline opening, worn by both sexes. Each Arab region has a different term for what is essentially a similar garment with various small differences. , dra’ah, dishdāshah, jallābīyah, jalābah, jillābīyah, qaftan, mqta’, thawb or tobe Tobe: (Arabic:  thawb,  Pl. Athwāb/thībān), can be pronounced thawb or thobe based on locale. The standard Arabic word for ‘fabric’ or ‘garment’. It can refer to a qamīs-like tunic worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, the southern and south-western ports and islands of Iran, and some countries in East and West Africa. More specifically, it can refer to the square-shaped Bedouin overgarment worn by women. )  loose, short or long sleeved, shirt like (qamis) tunic with frontal neckline opening, worn by both sexes. Each Arab region has a different term for what is essentially a similar garment with various small differences.), as in this example.
This represents a physical example of the traditional Arabic saying (zinah_wa_khazinah Zīnah_wa_khazīnah: (Arabic: zīnah: beauty, khazīnah: treasury), an Arab saying meaning ‘beauty and wealth in one.’ In nomadic cultures wealth was portable and jewellery and precious garments were made not only as wearable works of art and status but also as a practical method of guarding and securing precious assets by keeping them close to their owners. Similar phrases are common around the Arab world, for example in North African Arab countries such as Libya they say: al hadīd_lil_shadīd.), meaning “beauty and wealth in one”. The silver was employed to demonstrate style and reflect social status but could also be melted down and sold in times of need.