Palestinian thobe dress
Costumes
Inventory number
2025.8.26.9.CO.ET.C1970.ILDescription
Blue linen Palestinian two-branch thobe dress with white-yellow-green-orange tatreez embroidered front bib (qabbeh), cuffs, side seams and the hem on the skirt, and thin casing at the waist. Blue color of this dress, in particular, can signify mourning, widowhood, or youth and opportunity depending on its combination with other colors and the context of its use.Tatreez is a traditional form of Palestinian embroidery, often adorning the thobe (traditional Palestinian dress). Palestinian women and girls decorated their thobe with symbols of history, memory, and place, telling the tale of the maker’s life and her connection to the land, her social status. Different regions of Palestine developed unique embroidery techniques, stitches, and motifs, making each tatreez piece distinct. Common patterns included the eight-pointed star, the moon, birds, palm leaves, stairs, and diamonds or triangles used as amulets to ward off the evil eye. The same purpose was served by dyeing the dress in a deep blue indigo color, which became widespread in Palestine from the end of the 19th century. The wealthier the region, the darker the blue produced. The techniques of tatreez were recognized in 2021 by UNESCO as an important intangible cultural heritage.
Materials
Linen canvasEmbroidery