Palestinian Embroidery

Diversity Of Costume

The folk costumes of Eastern Europe, The Mediterranean region and the Arab world were of astonishing variety, and those of Palestine, in their diversity and richness, must rank amongst the most beautiful. Palestine was a major cross roads of civilization, a part of the Fertile Crescent where man had his beginning and a holy place for three religions. Accordingly it was subject to the influence of many other civilizations as well as to invasion from quarters. From 3000 BC there had also been regular migrations northwards from Arabian Peninsula. By the seventh century AD Islam and Arabic language were spreading throughout the entire region, providing an overall unity of thought and culture.
The reasons for the diversity of costume are numerous. A Palestinian once questioned on why each village or tribe had had its own version thought it might have been because so many invaders, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Crusader and Turk, had passed through. Certainly each group must have left something of itself behind. The influence of the invader can be seen in, for example, the costumes and embroidery of those east European countries which came under Othman domination. But innumerable other factors playa part in the make-up and heritage of a country. Lack of communications probably contributed, but it should be remembered that the Islamic world was always a mobile one. Not only did people move about for reasons of pilgrimage, invasion and trading activities, but scholars and craftsmen gravitated towards centers of power. Sultans and emirs were not merely soldiers but patrons of the arts who invited the best craftsmen to work in their capital. They were often skilled calligraphers and poets themselves. One Ottoman sultan was a master goldsmith, another a master Gardner.
The annual Hajj to Mecca brought pilgrims from all over the world with its consequent mingling of peoples and spreading of ideas. In addition, Villagers and nomads were always proud of their smaller traditions which developed within a larger one. The human spirit always seems to retain a certain individuality even though somewhat constricted by society. It is possible too that in the distant past costume played part of distinguishing between warring parties. The climate and religious and other beliefs also played their part. Before the advent of Islam the basic outlines of Middle Eastern garments were loose and following and the religion encouraged a behavior and appearance for both men and women. Aside from being suitable for frequently harsh climatic conditions, such garments did not reveal too much of the figure so preserving decorum in appearance and conduct.

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