Palestinian Costume

Textiles and embroidery have long played a central part in Palestinian life, and since for many centuries the land has been a meeting place of different cultures, an exceptionally rich variety of styles has developed there. Jehan Rajab looks at the garments worn by three distinct groups: the Baladin, or townsfolk, who made up the sophisticated, commercial population and were most open to foreign influences, the Fellahin or villagers, from who came the most beautiful embroideries and the Bedu, who's embroidery and clothes were influenced by village styles but had their own individual features. She examines in detail the finest needlework, much of which originated from Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron, and seeks to explain the amuletic or tribal significance of the great variety of embroidery motifs. Palestinian Costume provides a wealth of information and illustration of this great tradition, and in addition provides many practical details of stitches and the technical aspects of Palestinian needlecraft.