Object Note
Part of a set along with two more items (ZI2018.500246 OMAN and ZI2018.500246a OMAN) also in the collection.
Object History
This piece – a part of an entire ensemble – was purchased by Dr. Reem Tariq El Mutwalli in 2017/2018 from an Omani artisan.
In the winter of 2015, Dr Reem attended a desert winter camp hosted by S HH Sheikha Hamdah bint Mohammed Al Nahyan, maternal aunt of the late HRH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The camp was also attended by a group of female Omani performers in their traditional attire. Dr. Reem’s fascination with their dresses led her to procure a three-piece ensemble from an Omani artisan. Little did she anticipate that this acquisition would eventually become an integral addition to The Zay Initiative collections.
Sheikhah Hamdah bint Mohammed Al Nahyan fervently supported Dr. Reem’s endeavours in preserving and documenting the UAE’s heritage and history. Her pivotal role included facilitating access to interviews and recording oral histories of numerous women in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. These efforts culminated in the publication of the book “Sultani: Traditions Renewed; Changes in Women’s Traditional Dress in the United Arab Emirates during the Reign of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan,1966-2004”.
Object Features
This is a pair of black cotton and silk women’s trousers (bastah) featuring embellished cuffs and drawstring fastening.
The field of trousers are made of two different panels of fabric, a black printed cotton fabric with repeats of small dots and floral motifs and a black and yellow silk (ikat).
While the bottom half of the trousers from ankle to mid-calf is constructed of silk the top half of the bastah consists of cotton fabric. The cuffs of the bastah are embellished using tinsel corded threads reminiscent of metal threads (zari), and woollen floss threads of burgundy, blue and green. The cuff can be divided roughly into four parts – the bottom most part is a thick panel of burgundy and green embroidered lines followed by a (cross_stitch) style embroidered tinsel with another thin line of burgundy wool. The next tier consists of a wide patch with a silver base done in (blaket_stitch) style embroidery and repeats of geometric patterns with woollen floss threads of burgundy and blue. The following tier has two layers of silver embroidered panels bordered by thin burgundy and green wool floss and the final tier constitutes a repeat of a triangle-shaped pattern in silver executed using cross_stitch style embroidery. The cuffs have a zip closure for fastening and tightening them according to the wearer’s convenience.
Links
- Roche, Thomas, et al. “The dialogic fashioning of women’s dress in the Sultanate of Oman.” Journal of Arabian Studies, vol. 4, no. 1, 2014, pp. 38–51, https://doi.org/10.1080/21534764.2014.918373.
- Martinez, Aisa. “Omani men’s national dress: Displaying personal taste, asserting national identity.” Ars Orientalis, vol. 47, no. 20220203, 2017, https://doi.org/10.3998/ars.13441566.0047.013.
- https://omanisilver.com/contents/en-us/d612.html
- https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/how-oman-s-national-dress-references-the-country-s-rich-history-1.1113063
- https://www.nm.gov.om/en/collection/gift/crafts-industries
- http://sheikhanassr.blogspot.com/2015/10/traditional-clothes-of-oman-are-unique_14.html
- https://www.custom-qamis.com/en/blog//traditional-dress-of-oman
- https://timesofoman.com/article/70300-traditional-clothing-jewellery-showcase-omans-rich-cultural-heritage
- https://www.omanobserver.om/article/12101/Main/sur-traditional-clothes-still-a-favourite-during-special-occasions
- https://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/ars/13441566.0047.013/–omani-mens-national-dress
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