Traditional Costumes of Saudi Arabia by ACC Art Books

TRADITIONAL COSTUMES OF SAUDI ARABIA

The Mansoojat Foundation The Mansoojat Foundation is a UK-registered charity founded by a group of Saudi Arabian women who share an interest in the costumes and heritage of Saudi Arabia. Mansoojat’s mission is to preserve and revive the traditional costumes, textiles and embroidery of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to promote and conduct academic research on the history and culture of the region, and to raise public awareness of this unique heritage.

Front cover image: Design by Amnah M. Alireza and Richard Wilding Back cover image: Richard Wilding, Shayla mrayyasha. Head-cover veil adorned with colourful tassels

To see the full catalogue of books published by ACC Art Books, please go to our website: www.accartbooks.com ACC ART BOOKS Sandy Lane, Old Martlesham Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4SD, UK Tel: 01394 389950 Fax: 01394 389999 Email: uksales@accartbooks.com

TRADITIONAL COSTUMES OF SAUDI ARABIA

Born out of fourteen years of research and documentation by the Mansoojat Foundation, this book pays homage to Saudi Arabia’s rich textile heritage. From the labah sadr of the Bal Harith tribe (a silver necklace decorated with coloured glass, often recycled from old car lights) to the resplendent jasmine headdresses worn in Jazan, Traditional Costumes of Saudi Arabia captures a stunning diversity of traditional clothing and accessories. Filled with bright colours, bold patterns, intricate detail and unique designs, this beautiful book celebrates the intertwining of costume and culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Each headdress, thobe (garment) and necklace is an expression of local identity, while also incorporating far reaching influences that date back to the days of the Silk Road. Preserving costumes that are no longer worn and celebrating those that remain at the heart of communities, Traditional Costumes of Saudi Arabia provides a valuable and original insight into the cultural history of Saudi Arabia.

The Mansoojat Foundation Collection

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Saudi Costumes Jacket.indd 1

ISBN: 978-1-78884-040-8

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Introduction

Introduction The History of Clothing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by Soraya Altorki Geographically, present-day Saudi Arabia is a land of more than 2.1 million square kilometres, located in the Middle East between the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea. It borders Egypt to the west, Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait to the north, Yemen to the south, and Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to the east. Its territory was historically the site of important sea and land trade routes, the latter having been facilitated by the domestication of the camel, an animal especially suited to plying the vast stretches of desert along those routes. Among the products that were traded were silk, frankincense, myrrh, spices, gold, ivory, precious stones and textiles. From Makkah in Western Arabia, the trade routes coursed to the northwest to Madinah, Petra, Gaza, Damascus and Aleppo, and eastward through Palmyra and on to the Silk Road towns of Iraq, Iran, Central Asia, India and China. Ample archaeological evidence from excavation sites and wall paintings exists of the importance of the trade across these vast distances. The Silk Road was perhaps the most important of all these routes (built in the period of the Han dynasty in China between 200 bce and 200 ce) and its period of use extended roughly until the defeat of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Turks in the fifteenth century. Perhaps the single most important site in the Arabian peninsula for trade-route commerce was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kindah (roughly the third century bce to the third century ce) known as Qaryat al-Faw. The excavations at this site have proven that an ancient textile craft was established in Arabia centuries before the advent of Islam.

Hajj routes leading to Makkah, 1883 ce (ah 1300)

1. Christopher Muscato, Islamic History: Textiles and Designs. https://stuy.com/academy/ lesson/islamic-textileshistory-designs.html

With the coming of Islam in the first quarter of the seventh century ce, new directions may be found in the nature of the textiles and clothing products. Through the conveyance of these articles, Muslim travellers, merchants and scholars to the distant lands of East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as nearer locales in East Africa, ensured the survival of classic motifs but also generated syncretistic patterns and designs, imbricating the Muslim themes with – for instance – Indian, Indonesian, Malay or Chinese symbols and/or designs. In short, textile patterns and embroidery motifs of Arabian provenance became known to people thousands of miles away. In the words of one student of Islamic textiles, “In Islamic societies, textiles were amongst the most valued of arts. They were portable, which made them accessible art forms for an originally desert-bound people, and later helped them spread around the world.” 1

Introduction

Hajj routes leading to Makkah, 1883 ce (ah 1300)

1. Christopher Muscato, Islamic History: Textiles and Designs. https://stuy.com/academy/ lesson/islamic-textileshistory-designs.html

Introduction

Introduction Left: Anthropomorphic stele, 4th millennium bce, 92 x 21 cm, El-Maakir-Qaryat al-Kaafa, near Hail

Below left: Fragment of a wall painting showing a man’s head, 1st–2nd century ce, 53 x 36 cm, Qaryat al-Faw

Below right: Fragment of a wall painting with a banquet scene, 1st–2nd century ce, 58 x 32 cm, Qaryat al-Faw

Sewing handmade metal beads onto costume, Bani Sa‘ad tribe

Meanwhile, with the advent of Islam, thousands upon thousands of pilgrims from many Muslim majority and/or large minority areas came to the Hijaz, Najd and other locations of the Arabian Peninsula. Upon the completion of the Hajj, these travellers, returning to their own homelands, took back with them examples and specimens of Arab textiles and dresses, adding to the circulation of these artifacts from earlier centuries in those locations. The great land and sea routes that once made this territory known through its cultural artifacts in areas far from the centre of the Middle East have faded into history, but the dresses and costumes that we see in this volume reflect the splendour of the clothing that was diffused to the trading cities of the great caravan routes of ancient times. Among the qualities that we see in looking at the pictures of clothing from the various tribes of Arabia – whether Thaqeef, Hudheyl, Jahdaly, Bani Sa‘ad, and so many others – we note the outstanding colour, the bright threads, the detailed embroidery, the quality of cloth (ranging from plush satins to more ordinary cottons), and the delicacy of the beading and jewellery woven into the fabrics. We have before us a remarkable trove of material culture which will clearly convince the reader that Arabian textiles have proliferated throughout the world and are not merely wonderful creations for the consumption and admiration of local populations of what is now Saudi Arabia.

Right: Ball of wool and needle, 3rd century bce–3rd century ce, diameter about 5.5 cm, Qaryat al-Faw 12

Introduction

Introduction Left: Anthropomorphic stele, 4th millennium bce, 92 x 21 cm, El-Maakir-Qaryat al-Kaafa, near Hail

Below left: Fragment of a wall painting showing a man’s head, 1st–2nd century ce, 53 x 36 cm, Qaryat al-Faw

Below right: Fragment of a wall painting with a banquet scene, 1st–2nd century ce, 58 x 32 cm, Qaryat al-Faw

Sewing handmade metal beads onto costume, Bani Sa‘ad tribe

Right: Ball of wool and needle, 3rd century bce–3rd century ce, diameter about 5.5 cm, Qaryat al-Faw 12

Thaqeef Tribe

The Thaqeef Tribe by Abdul Aziz bin Mansi Sa‘id al-‘Omari The Thaqeef tribe is located in the area around Taif, a city renowned for its moderate climate in both summer and winter and for its agricultural produce of fruits, vegetables, grains and roses. In times past, Taif residents succeeded in benefitting from its numerous water resources by building dams, digging canals and constructing agricultural terraces. This contributed to an abundance in its agricultural production and premium quality of its crops. Taif ’s moderate climate made it one of the most prominent and oldest summer resorts in Saudi Arabia. The city has upheld this status, without interruption, since pre-Islam, when Makkah’s wealthiest made it their destination of choice for summer relaxation, throughout the early Islamic period until the present day. During the reign of Al Saud, it became the summer capital of Saudi Arabia. Today, it is still a sought-after tourist destination, where services and leisure facilities are provided not only for the Kingdom’s residents, but also for Gulf State nationals. Taif is located on top of Ghazwan Mountain, which is part of the Sarawat Mountain range. It is situated in the western part of the Kingdom at an elevation of 1,700–2,500 metres above sea level and is located 80 km inland from Makkah. Taif ’s topography consists of high mountainous regions in the west, steep valleys in the direction of the east, and desert areas in the east and north. These variations in terrain are reflected in the diversity of its plantations, weather and the vocation of its population. Makkah and Taif were both prominent cities during pre-Islamic times. They engaged in fierce competition, which derived its momentum from the importance of the role played by each city. Makkah boasted of a commercial boom led by the Quraysh tribe. In Taif, the Thaqeef tribe was at the helm of the agricultural, herding and mercantile activities. This turned Taif into a pivotal post for trading caravans and a source of agricultural and animal goods supplying Makkah’s markets. Due to its importance, Taif was the first destination of the Prophet Mohammad (‫ )ﷺ‬to spread his message outside of Makkah. According to numerous sources, Taif emerged around the Plateau of Bab Al Ri‘. The wall surrounding it had two gates: Bani Yasar Gate, named Sa‘b Gate and the other for Bani ‘Awf, known as Sahir Gate. Seemingly, villages gradually sprang up in other places on the banks of Waj valley, like Al Waht village, which some sources linked with the orchards owned by Amro ibn Al ‘Ass, and which are currently located near the historical ‘Akramah Dam, which still has some of its basic structures. Moreover, large quantities of preserved clay artifacts from the Umayyad and Abbassid eras can still be found there. Thaqeef became the principal tribe in Taif during pre-Islamic times. It maintained its dominance during the early period of Islam. Gradually, Taif was transformed into a settled community with numerous tribes living in it. It became a station for caravans travelling the route that connected the north of the Arabian Peninsula with its south. Hence, Taif emerged as a market for goods and commodities, which provided a great opportunity for its people to settle in and around the town. A large segment of the Thaqeef tribe steadily moved to Southern Taif and settled in the region now known as Thaqeef Country, while some of its other branches were spread around the western parts of Taif in the areas now known as Al Shafa and Al Hada. Presently, Thaqeef with all its branches and clans constitutes a large portion of the population of Taif Province. Several other tribes were dispersed within and around the city as well as in areas and villages affiliated with it. They were Bani Malik, Bal Harith, ‘Utaybah, ‘Udwan, Subay‘, Al Buqum, Quraysh, Hudheyl, Hawazin Al Ghatfaniyah and Al Ashraf (descendants of the Prophet Mohammad (‫))ﷺ‬. Despite the fact that these tribes dwell in specific areas, the city of Taif itself has become the home to many of the tribes that are now linked together by one national bond.

Previous pages: Taif rose Opposite page: Sharif Rafiq Sadik, circa 1928 (ah 1347)

Thaqeef Tribe

Previous pages: Taif rose Opposite page: Sharif Rafiq Sadik, circa 1928 (ah 1347)

Qahtan Tribe

Above and above left: Hamah. There are two types of hamah women’s headdresses: one is made of leather interwoven with metal studs, the other is made of felt, punctuated by metal discs.

Top: The houses of the Qahtan tribe were traditionally painted in bold and colourful geometric designs

Left: The floors are painted green, reflecting the original use of a mixture of alfalfa with gum arabic to seal the floor and exude a fresh fragrance.

Above and opposite page: Horizontal bands of slate are built into the exterior walls of buildings to prevent rain from running down the mud walls. 130

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Qahtan Tribe

Above and above left: Hamah. There are two types of hamah women’s headdresses: one is made of leather interwoven with metal studs, the other is made of felt, punctuated by metal discs.

Top: The houses of the Qahtan tribe were traditionally painted in bold and colourful geometric designs

Left: The floors are painted green, reflecting the original use of a mixture of alfalfa with gum arabic to seal the floor and exude a fresh fragrance.

Above and opposite page: Horizontal bands of slate are built into the exterior walls of buildings to prevent rain from running down the mud walls. 130

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Jazan

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Jazan

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Jazan

Left and above: Kurtah (dress) and sudayriyah (vest) for everyday wear at home

Right: Women’s milaya (wrap) for wearing outside the home Opposite page: Street vendor from Fayfa selling honey 136

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Jazan

Left and above: Kurtah (dress) and sudayriyah (vest) for everyday wear at home

Right: Women’s milaya (wrap) for wearing outside the home Opposite page: Street vendor from Fayfa selling honey 136

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Jiddah

Ibn Jubayr referred to as the Ebony Mosque.18 Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas used to go to Jiddah in the winter and seclude himself in that mosque during the month of Ramadan.19 The second is the Shafi‘i Mosque that Ibn Jubayr also mentioned and attributed to ‘Umar, Commander of the Faithful. This mosque used to be called Al Jami‘ Al ‘Atiq, or the Ancient Mosque.20 Today, the oldest surviving section of the Al Shafi‘i Mosque is its minaret, which dates back eight hundred years. The Government of Saudi Arabia has recently been renovating this important historical mosque. In the year ah 26 (647 ce), during the rule of Caliph ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, the people of Makkah demanded of him to change the coastal port for Makkah from Shu’aybah, its old port, to its current coastal port of Jiddah by reason of its proximity to Makkah (as well as for other strategic and economic reasons). ‘Uthman then went to Jiddah and commanded that it become the main port. He entered the sea and washed himself in it, saying, “It is blessed,” and he said to those accompanying him, “Enter the sea to wash yourselves, and enter only in your loincloths.” He then left Jiddah for Al Madinah by way of ‘Asfan. From that moment, people abandoned the coast of Shu‘aybah, and Jiddah continues to this day to be the gateway to Makkah.21 With the expansion of the Islamic state, the conversion of people to Islam, and the arrival of an increasing number of Muslims by sea to Jiddah in order to reach Makkah and perform the Hajj (pilgrimage), Jiddah became increasingly Minaret of the Shafi‘i Mosque, Jiddah, 2018 important. This helped the city prosper and become a major commercial coastal city that supported the trade of numerous other cities and countries such as Makkah, India, Egypt, Yemen, and others. During the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates, Jiddah was closely linked to Makkah, for the same ruler of Makkah governed the two cities. In addition, Jiddah was the gateway to the holy city of Makkah, as well as its warehouse. Mu‘awiyah envied Sa‘ad, his employee in Hijaz, because he would spend the spring in Jiddah, summer in Taif, and winter in Makkah; some Umayyads, such as Abd Allah ibn Marwan ibn Muhammad, settled there nearing the end of their caliphates.22 During the Abbasid era, Al Karak, a people from Ethiopia, invaded Jiddah from the sea in ah 151 (768 ce), and the Abbasid caliph Al Mansur prepared an army to fight them.23 Mohammad Sadiq Diab pointed out that it is plausible to state that Jiddah was a thriving, populated city until the end of the fourth century ah (tenth century ce). Historians, such as Al Balkhi, Al Bushari, and Al Istakhri, all described Jiddah as a busy, well-fortified commercial hub bustling with its people, especially after it fully embraced its natural role at the time as the sole port of Makkah. During the reign

18. Al Ansari, Abd al Quddus, Encyclopedia – History of City of Jeddah, p. 429. 19. Ibn Faraj, Abd Al Qadir Ibn Ahmad, Weaponry and Ammunition in the History of the Port of Jeddah, revised by Dr. Ali Muhammad ‘Umar. Cairo: Religious Studies Printing Press, 1997, p. 51. 20. Ibn Jubayr, Muhammad, Journey of Ibn Jubayr, p. 42. 21. Ibn Fahd, Omar, The Wonderment of Mankind at the Stories of Umm Al Qura (Makkah), part 2, p. 20. 22. Diab, Mohammad Sadiq, Jiddah… History and Social Life, p. 18. 23. Ibid., p. 18.

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Arrival of pilgrims at Jiddah

of the Abbasid caliph Al Mahdi, it received the marble pillars brought to Makkah from the Levant and Egypt to build the Grand Mosque. They were transported to Makkah on wheels. This development in modes of transportation reflects the progress that was happening in Jiddah at the time.24 During that period, Jiddah reached prominent standards of social and literary life. Among the most celebrated of its poets of the first century ah (seventh century ce) was Al Fadl ibn Al Abbas ibn ‘Utbah ibn Abi Lahab, who got his title – Al Akhdar Al Juddi – from the city. Besides being a poet, he seemed to also have been a well-known singer, for Abu Al Sa’ib called upon him and Ibn Abi Sulma Al Zuhari saying, “O ye singers of Hejaz”.25 Jiddah’s economic status at that time was eminent, which encouraged some residents of nearby cities to move there in hope of earning more money. Ibrahim ibn Maymun, who died in ah 188 (804 ce), noted that he had performed his Hajj during the days of the Abbasid caliph, Harun Al Rashid, and that he came across Sawda’ crying out: O Amr, why did you elude me? You have taken my heart and now you torment me Had you warned me, O Amr, what you would do unto me I, being forewarned, would not have let you have me He then asked her about this certain Amr, upon which she recounted to him that Amr had left her to go to Jiddah. Ibn Maymun went to Jiddah and searched through the ship workers, calling out his name: “O Amr!”. He who was being summoned came out of one of the ships, and ibn Maymun asked him about his relationship with Sawda’. He told ibn Maymun that he was unable to go back to her. Ibn Maymun then gave the man enough money for ten years so he would return to her.26

24. Al Azraqi, Abu Walid Muhammad bin Abdullah, News of Makkah and Its Features, part two, revised by Rushdi Al Salih Malhas, tenth edition. Makkah: Al Thagafa Library, ah 1423 (2002 ce), p. 76. 25. Diab, Mohammad Sadiq, Jiddah… History and Social Life, p. 19. 26. Ibid., p. 21.

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Jiddah

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Arrival of pilgrims at Jiddah

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Jiddah

has already been mentioned, around the year ah 915 (1509 ce), nearly seven years after di Varthema’s visit. The commander Husain Al Kurdi built the wall, at the bidding of the Mamluk sultan Qansuwah Al Ghawri in order to defend Jiddah from the imminent Portuguese invasion. The Danish explorer and scientist Carsten Niebuhr described the wall upon seeing it two hundred years after its construction, during his visit to Jiddah in ah 1175 (1762 ce), at the head of a scientific team sent by the king of Denmark to explore the Arabian Peninsula and its people. Over two hundred years had passed since the building of the wall. Niebuhr drew a map of Jiddah that included the wall and added this map to the book he penned about his journey.33 The Spanish traveller Domingo Badía also Street scene in Jiddah spoke of the city of Jiddah and described what lay within and outside of its wall, “The city is surrounded by a magnificent wall with irregular towers.” Badía eventually converted to Islam and assumed an Arab name, Ali Bey Al Abbassi, claiming to be a descendant of the Abbasids. His visit to Jiddah was in ah 1221 (1807 ce).34 Around seven years later, in 1814 ce (ah 1229), the famous Swiss traveller Johann Ludwig Burckhardt went to Jiddah and recorded, in accurate detail, his observations and remarks on the city: its souks, its people, their houses, traditions, and character, even the number of shops, cafes, and all types of services that were offered. He also described the wall of Jiddah, “The wall built by Husain Al Kurdi has collapsed and is almost completely destroyed.” Instead, he saw the wall that had been built by the people of the city a few years prior to his visit in ah 1229 (1814 ce).35 When the French traveller Maurice Tamisier headed to Jiddah in ah 1249 (1834 ce), he described its wall in great detail in his book Voyage en Arabie, or “Voyage in Arabia”: “The wall that surrounds the city was interspersed with towers. These towers were not all in the same condition, but varied from one to the other, and their main parts were supported and fortified with artillery.” He also said “The wall has four gates overlooking the sea”.36 Another French Muslim traveller, Jules Gervais-Courtellemont, who, after converting to Islam, called himself Abdullah ibn Al Bashir, figures among the list of travellers to visit Jiddah. He sketched a part of the wall surrounding the city and included his drawing of the wall in the book he wrote about his Hajj journey in ah 1311 (1894 ce), describing it as “a strong wall”.37 When the Arab traveller Al Batnuni visited Jiddah with Abbas Hilmi Pasha II, the last Khedive of Egypt, in ah 1327 (1909 ce), he mentioned the wall of Jiddah, saying “A five-sided wall surrounds Jiddah. The western part overlooks the sea and is 576 metres long. The part on the sea is 675 metres long; the eastern part is 504 metres long, the southeastern 315 metres long, and the southern one

33. Niebuhr, Carsten, Travels through Arabia, and other Countries in the East, part one, translated by Abir Al Mundhir. Beirut: Arab Expansion, 2007 ce, p. 234. 34. Al Abbassi et al., A Spanish traveler in the Arabian Peninsula, revised and translated by Dr. Salih Ibn Muhammad Al Sunaidi. Riyadh: King Abdul Aziz Foundation, ah 1429, p. 124. 35. Burckhardt, Johann Ludwig, Journeys to the Arabian Peninsula, translated by Hitaf Abd Allah. Beirut: Arab Expansion, 2005 ce, p. 18. 36. Tamisier, Maurice, Voyage in Arabia – Hejaz, translated and commented by Dr. Muhammad Abd Allah Al Zalfah. Riyadh: Arab Lands Publishing & Distributing, ah 1421 (2001 ce), p. 81. 37. Jules-Gervais, Courtellemont, My Journey to Makkah, translated by Muhammad Muhammad Ahmad Al Hannash. Riyadh: Heritage Foundation, ah 1423, pp. 62–63.

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Bab Makkah 810 metres long. This wall was built in ah 915 (1509 ce) by the Sultan Al Ghawri, king of Egypt, to prevent the Europeans, who had started colonizing the East, from accessing Jiddah. It indeed held the Portuguese back in ah 948 (1541 ce), for this small fortress rained fire down on the Portuguese who fled to their ships, leaving behind all the ammunition they had brought”.38 In ah 1354 (1936 ce), the Lebanese doctor Abdul Ghani Shahbandar visited Jiddah at the head of a Lebanese medical Hajj mission. He documented his trip in a concise book in which he recorded all his observations on Jiddah and its people. He also mentioned the wall, “Almost facing Africa, Jiddah is nearly totally surrounded by an ancient wall with six gates: that of Al Madinah, Makkah, the Sharif, the Sea, the Maghreb, and the Martyrs”.39 Security and stability were finally attained in the Arabian Peninsula, when His Majesty the late King Abdulaziz ibn Abdul Rahman Al Saud founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unified its people, and secured its roads. After becoming part of this great Kingdom, Jiddah was no longer in need of its wall. It became a safe and secure town, and the wall was demolished in ah 1367 (1947 ce). Jiddah then started expanding northwards, and a great deal of its expansion occurred in the 1950s ce (ah 1370s). The 1960s ce (ah 1380s), however, witnessed much greater developments in Jiddah after its role as the main port of the Kingdom was firmly established. Its port then expanded to become a truly international port by global standards, making Jiddah deserving of its title “Bride of the Red Sea”. Modern schools such as Thaghr Model School opened, as well as other government/public, private and international schools. Modern specialized hospitals were built all around the city, roads were paved, highways opened, and the King Abdulaziz University was established, making it the modern city with the great history that we know today and a witness to the future prosperity of the Kingdom. Today, its people, repeat along with the poet Talal Hamza, his now famous city slogan, “Jiddah Ghair” - “Jiddah is Something Else.”

38. Al Batnuni, Muhammad Labib, The Hejazi Voyage of the Benefactor Hajj Abbas Hilmi Pasha II. Khediv of Egypt, second edition. Cairo: Religious Studies Press, ah 1427 (2006 ce), p. 74. 39. Shahbandar, Abd Al Ghani, The Hejaz Voyage. Beirut: Al Hikmah Magazine, ah 1356 (1937 ce), p. 6.

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Jiddah

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TRADITIONAL COSTUMES OF SAUDI ARABIA

Front cover image: Design by Amnah M. Alireza and Richard Wilding Back cover image: Richard Wilding, Shayla mrayyasha. Head-cover veil adorned with colourful tassels

TRADITIONAL COSTUMES OF SAUDI ARABIA

The Mansoojat Foundation Collection

or ACC ART BOOKS 6 West 18th Street, 4B New York NY 10011, USA Tel: 212.645.1111 Fax: 716 242 4911 Email: ussales@accartbooks.com

Saudi Costumes Jacket.indd 1

ISBN: 978-1-78884-040-8

ËxHSLHSIy840408zv&:>:!:+:! £55.00/$80.00

www.accartbooks.com

29/10/2020 13:46