Traditional Palestinian Costume: Origins and Evolution

by Hanan Karaman Munayyer, Nathan Sayers (Photographer)

A joyous celebration of pattern and color, and of an enduring Palestinian tradition The historical and cultural richness of Palestine is reflected visually in its costume and embroidery. Distinguished by boldness of color, richness of pattern, and diversity of style, and combined with great needlework skill, these textiles have long played an important role in Palestinian culture and identity and manifested themselves in every aspect of Palestinian life. Based on over twenty-five years of extensive field research and the culling of museum resources and publications from around the world, this book presents the most exhaustive and up-to-date study of the origins of Palestinian embroidery and costume-from antiquity through medieval Arab textile arts to the present. It documents region by region the evolution of costume and the textile arts in Palestine in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is lavishly illustrated with over 500 full-color photographs from the highly praised Munayyer Collection, which includes a whole range of embroidered textiles from traditional costumes and coin headdresses of Palestinian village women to cloaks and jackets worn by village men to belts, sashes, and footwear. The exquisite colors of the silk stitching on natural linens are a feast for the eye. The sumptuous photography and author's well-informed text greatly enrich our appreciation of Palestinian embroidery and make this book a valuable resource that displays this unique art in all its splendor.

Genres: Fashion, History

554 pages, Hardcover

First published May 17, 2011

Reviews

[Kathy Piselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing record of the Munayyer collection as well as its preservation-related activities. It's a large, heavy book filled with photos of the dresses, along with jackets, hats, pillowcases, a tobacco pouch, jewelry, protective blue beading, shoes, and just about anything that might have gone into a bride's trousseau. The physical book is beautifully arranged, the close-ups are extraordinary; these and the smallish print brought out my granny magnifying glass. Some dresses were machine-stitched, some completely hand-stitched, there was one that had been altered. Munayyer explains color and fabric and embroidery patterns that will sound familiar to traditional American quilters. Except some of these patterns can be traced back to antiquity. The differing fabrics and threads show that the Palestinian coast and interior were ever a pathway for tradesmen, for occupiers, and for nomadic tribes bringing new ideas and materials. But these are the dresses of villagers tied to farms; they were not worn in the cities. Their patterns differed by region, not by religion. One of the observations fascinating to me was the way the choices of adornment were affected by the historical period. Another was the influence upon clothing in Europe in the Islamic classical period. And finally the way the Munayyers are conserving the dresses by having Palestinian seamstresses copy historic pieces. I've been lucky enough to see this art in person and encourage anyone interested in textiles to find them and see them anytime they are on display. This book is the next best thing if you cannot find them. Munayyer does not shy away from political history when discussing these artworks because, well, you can't, and each dress does tell a story. But the focus is on women's artistry and ingenuity, which is universal among every people.

[Aʅҽxαɳԃɾα Ᏸ.❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ce livre est un chef-d’œuvre, je n’exagère même pas.🥺Je possède plusieurs beaux livres de toutes sortes mais celui-ci est parmi l’un de mes préférés entre tous.Je suis impressionnée autant par les images que par la mine d’informations qu’on retrouve tout au fil des pages. Un ouvrage tout simplement magnifique. Je suis plus que choyée d’avoir reçu ce livre en cadeau.🥰

🇵🇸♥️🍉