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| Women and
Clothing |
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Source:
Jerusalem, Bethany, and Bethlehem, p.
125. |
Women of Bethlehem
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Many of the towns and even villages of Palestine have peculiar female costumes .
. . . The headdress of the Bethlehemite lady is a stiff flat-crowned brimless
hat, from three to five inches high in front, and longer at the back; it is
generally almost covered with rows of gold or silver coins, and from each side
of it a string of larger coins is suspended. This headdress is sufficiently firm
to support the large white linen veil, which should be folded neatly over it so
as to hide all but the lower row of coins which rests on the forehead. The veil
is generally about two yards long and not quite a yard wide, and is often
embroidered at the ends with coloured silk. It falls in graceful folds upon the
shoulders and down the back, and is drawn partly across the face in the presence
of Moslems or strangers. The principal garment, and often the only one, is a
long blue or striped gown, girdled at the waist, with very wide and long pointed
sleeves. The front of this gown above the waist is always more or less
ornamented with embroidery or appliqué work of red, yellow, and green cloth.
(Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 1, pp. 134-35.) |
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Fellahah in Holiday Attire |
Source:
Jerusalem, Bethany, and Bethlehem, p.
73. |
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During my last visit to Nazareth, while
wandering through streets and lanes, among
gardens, by the fountain, and over the
neighbouring hills, I saw and talked with
great numbers of the people. They are getting
more and more accustomed to Western travellers,
and to English and German residents, so that
the women and girls, even Moslems, are not by
any means so careful to conceal their faces,
or their dresses and ornaments, as they were a
quarter of a century ago; more especially is
this the case when they happen to be
attractive in person, or arrayed in holiday
attire. On the hillsides and by the fountain
one frequently sees females, whose stately
mien, picturesque costume, and profusion of
quaint ornaments-tiaras of coins, necklets,
bracelets, anklets, and girdles of
finely-wrought gold and silver-are such as
would delight the eye of an artist. The
colours, too, are rich and beautifully
blended. (Source: Through Samaria to Galilee and
the Jordan, p. 260.) |
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Source:
Jerusalem, Bethany, and Bethlehem,
p. xiii. |
Egyptian Music-Girl,
Joppa |
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Dr. Wilson, in his Lands of the Bible,
calls attention to the peculiar head-dress of
the women of this district [of Jenin], and
thinks it illustrates the words of Solomon,
'Thy cheeks are comely with rows [of jewels],
thy neck with chains [of gold].' Strings of
gold coin hang down from a sort of tiara upon
the cheeks, like the tie of a helmet, and a
similar ornament is worn round the neck. A
colony of Egyptians was settled in this
neighbourhood about half a century ago, and as
it resembles the head-dress of the fellaheen
of Egypt it may have been derived from them,
but it is probably much older. (Source:
Those Holy
Fields, p. 169.) |
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See
Weddings,
Houses,
Women and Work,
or
Woman at the Well |
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