Hebron detail 1 (2016) by Johanna RogallaTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
Hebron-area Embroidery
Delving into the world of embroidery in the Hebron area of Palestine is like embarking on an endless journey. We are thrilled to present you with an introduction using pieces and stories from the Widad Kawar Collection.
Hebron market (1930) by Jean MohrTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
Hebron City
With its narrow streets and ancient markets, Hebron's old town is steeped in centuries of history. It is known as al-Khalil in Arabic, referring to the Prophet Abraham, whose final resting place lies there, within the walls of the al-Haram al-Ibrahimi Mosque.
Glass making (Hebron) (1900)TIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
Hebron's Craftsmanship
Whether in the homeland or diaspora, Palestinians share a perception that individuals hailing from Hebron are meticulous and possess a strong entrepreneurial spirit. The tradition of fine craftsmanship is also a distinctive aspect of Hebron's cultural heritage.
Hebron pool (1950) by Matson Photo ServiceTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
'Khalili'
Saying that someone is from al-Khalil (Hebron), a Khalili, often implies attributing to them one of these characteristics: meticulousness, strong entrepreneurship skills, or excellent craftsmanship.
Hebron Glass (1900) by American Colony (Jerusalem) Photo DepartmentTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
Hebron's Handmade Crafts
Apart from the rich traditional embroidery of its villages, Hebron is renowned for the glassblowing and ceramics crafts still practised today and sold in the city's open market (souq).
Hebron dress 1 (2011) by Falak ShawaTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
Hebron's Village Dresses
Like most villages in the central and southern parts of the country, Hebron's village dresses had a squared pattern on the chest area.
Here is an example from Deir Samet village made of linen with hermezy (tafetta) silk panels and patchwork (circa 1928).
Sabeeha's Dress (2022) by Salua QidanTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
Sabeeha's Dress
Here, we have the magnificent qabbeh (chest panel) up close.
The dress was made and worn by Sabeeha, a woman from Beit Samet village near Hebron. Despite her tireless duties as a farmer and matriarch, she kept her embroidery close at hand, for whenever she had a spare moment.
Hebron Chest Panel (2021) by Tiraz CentreTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
In the Hebron area, the qabbeh typically consisted of a wave motif using colorful threads, as seen here in an image from "Palestinian Embroidery: Traditional Fallahi Cross-Stitch" by Widad Kawar and Tania Nasser.
Sabeeha's Dress (Sleeve) (2023) by Salua QidanTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
'Talis'
What sets traditional embroidery from the Hebron area apart is the practice of filling entire sections of a dress with intricate embroidery, which became known as talis. Here is an example of talis on one of the sleeves of Sabeeha's dress.
Back of Dress (Hebron) (2011) by Nabil QutteinehTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
'Moon with Feathers' Motif
We have another example of talis on the lower back of Sabeeha's dress while we also introduce Hebron's iconic moon with feathers (qamar birish in Arabic) embroidery motif seen here repeated five times in a row.
Fatima's Dress (Front) (2022) by Nabil QutteinehTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
The Front of Fatima's Dress
Here's another example from Qubayba village, showcasing some traditional Hebron-area elements, such as a squared chest pattern, talis embroidery, and patchwork on the front. However, the striking red circle in the middle is a rare find, which makes this dress very special.
Fatima Musa from Hebron (1999) by Myrtle WintersTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
Fatima Musa
The late Fatima Musa was a gifted embroiderer from Qubayba. Fatima and her mother used to trade eggs for silk thread and fabric at the market of the nearby town of Faluja to make exquisite dresses.
Fatima's Dress (Back) (2022) by Nabil QutteinehTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
The Back of Fatima's Dress
And here is the back of the dress, showing vibrant colored talis embroidery on the lower part.
Here we can also see a type of cypress tree (or tree of life) embroidery motif that is used in Hebron-area embroidery.
Here we can see examples of the same motif inverted.
Traditional Hebron shawl (2011) by Falak ShawaTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
For centuries, the Hebron area has been famous for cultivating grapes, which inspired the grape branch embroidery motif on some of its traditional head shawls (ghudfeh) as seen in the example here (circa 1925).
Hebron Dress (2022) by Nabil QutteinehTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
More Motifs
There are a plethora of different embroidery motifs used in Herbon-area embroidery. We will highlight some using one of the oldest dresses in the collection, dating back to the early 1900s.
Star of Hebron on the chest panel
Waves on the chest panel
Graves on the sides (front)
Hebron Dress (back) (2022) by Nabil QutteinehTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
Pasha's Tent on the hem (back)
Cypress Tree on the hem (back)
Hebron dress on display at Tiraz (2021) by Nabil QutteinehTIRAZ widad kawar home for arab dress
In the meantime, you can visit Tiraz Centre where a dress from the Hebron area is always showcased as part of the 'Palestinian Splendor' permanent exhibition.
Explore the exhibit about Traditional embroidery motif of Beit Dajan.
Laila Mushahwar, Aliya Beyhum, Nabil Qutteineh, Salua Qadan, Falak Shawa, Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection
