Object Note
This lace veil (shaylah tur) is part of a three-piece ensemble, a combination overgarment tunic (thawb_kandurah) (ZI2021.500790 UAE) and a second silk veil (shaylah wigayah) (ZI2021.500790b UAE) worn by Sheikhah Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan when posing for a portrait for Draped in Heritage exhibition curated by The Zay Initiative in 2020.
Object History
The ensemble was donated by Sheikhah Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, great-granddaughter of UAE founding father the late Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan AL Nahyan.
Sheikhah Shamma is a great supporter of The Zay Initiative’s efforts to preserve and document aspects of UAE heritage and history.
She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainability Leadership from Cambridge University. As the CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability, Co-Founder of Aurora50, and Honorary President of the Emirates Green Business Council, Sheikha Shamma is a highly regarded business leader and expert in the field of sustainability. In addition, she serves as a member of the UAE’s Circular Economy Council, the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy Advisory Board, and the Industry and Academic Advisory Board for the Academy of International Business MENA.
Sheikha Shamma also established the Circle of Hope foundation, resulting in the successful launch and operation of non-profit environmental initiatives, such as Mangroves 4 Mankind and Beacon of Hope.
Object Features
The same French silk tulle fabric from the main piece of the ensemble, the combination overgarment (thawb kandurah), has been employed here to make a more contemporary and stylistic matching head veil. It creates a unified look to the ensemble, as opposed to using a more traditional black or indigo-dyed veil.
This example is a simple cut of the tulle (tur) fabric. The veil is reserved for indoor use, in female company. It is worn on the head and draped off the shoulders at all times. As the fabric is quite sheer, the third part of the ensemble, the heavier and less opaque Emirati crepe silk head veil is kept about the person, or nearby, in case it is required to be put on as the wearer moves between rooms, for added coverage.
In earlier days a cloak (abayah) would have been worn but since the start of the millennium, there has been a move towards the use of contemporary fabrics and a more stylistic look. However, the ensemble still serves the purpose of covering the woman in accordance to the religious guidelines and social customs of the region.
Outside of the house or palace, in public areas, the wearer would continue to use an abayah to cover this ensemble.
Keywords: ghishwah
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