Palestinian sampler
Name/Title
Palestinian samplerEntry/Object ID
2024.9.1Description
Palestinian tatreez sampler on woven cloth, featuring various motifs in red and green thread. The majority of the motifs depicted are traditional to Ramallah. Some of these are the "S" shaped Leech motif (bottom right corner), the Crab motif directly above it, the Frogs in a Pond motif (third from top on left side), the "V" shaped Foreign Rainbow motif (bottom left corner), and the floral Palm of Hand motif going down the side from the top left corner. There are also motifs traditional to other areas of Palestine, including the Round Disc motif from Gaza (center), the Pot of Ears of Corn motif from Lydda directly above it, and the small wave shaped Snail border motif from Nablus (bottom right edge).Context
Tatreez is a Palestinian embroidery tradition featuring motifs which are specific to different regions across Palestine, and can represent significant life events of the embroiderer, or relate to local and national cultural, social, and natural history. During the 20th century, embroiderers would have had wider access to tatreez motifs from other regions, as well as European embroidery motifs, and may also have referenced pattern books. Motifs coming from pattern books would be called "foreign," like the Foreign Rainbow motif (bottom left corner) and the square shaped Foreign Moon motif (top right corner). Many motifs found in Ramallah tatreez during and after the 19th century are influenced by the opening of the Friends' Girls' School in the area in 1870, run by American Quakers. The school taught embroidery to its students and used Quaker pattern books. Earlier Palestinian motifs are typically more geometric, but as seen in this sampler, became increasingly curvilinear and floral due to Western influence in the later 19th century and into the 20th century. Pattern books of this era introduced motifs which included flowers, birds, wreaths, and human figures.Category
Samplers