Wedding Head Covering (Turket Nakbir Elharir)

Name/Title

Wedding Head Covering (Turket Nakbir Elharir)

Entry/Object ID

2024.4.29

Description

A shawl made of fine silk worn as a head covering by the bride in Siwa Oasis. It is embroidered in traditional colors with mother-of-pearl buttons and a many tassels on three sides. The local name of this shawl is said Turket Nakbir Elharir. The ground fabric is woven with highly twisted silk yarns has bands of damask patterns. The fabric was supposedly woven in Cairo or Alexandria, while the embroidery done in Siwa. There is a green writing in Arabic.

Acquisition

Accession

2024.4

Source or Donor

Teresa Lemon Shepro

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Teresa Lemon Shepro

Made/Created

Artist

Unknown

Time Period

1st half of 20th Century

Ethnography

Cultural Region

City

Cairo or Alexandria

Country

Egypt

Dimensions

Width

84 cm

Length

132 cm

Material

Silk, mother of pearl, cotton

Condition

Overall Condition

Many of the mother-of-pearl buttons are broken, and some tassels are missing. There used to be a type of decorative elements that were tied with green threads that are now missing. Some minor holes on the ground fabric.

Provenance

Notes

Acquired 1991 Cairo