Headband (maririh); dark brown tubular band of sheep's wool in complex plaiting form which is suspended at both ends several series of tassel in 2-ply yarn dyed dark red, orange, and green; tassels embellished with white shells (genus: Arato from the Red Sea Area) and white glass seed beads; Length: 2.32M. Treated with DDT in alcohol (10/78). Context: made by women for their own use. The black "rope" is placed around the forehead, underneath the black head covering (gun'ih), and the tassels hand down behind. Because of the head-covering, the "rope" is not visible, only the colored tassels. Used on special occasions, like the hand-embroidered dress (9-14881). The sheep's wool is spun by the owner and dyed in el-'Arish. The white beads and shells are bought in el-'Arish. Cost 30USD.
Donor:
Frank H. Stewart and University of Oxford
Collection place:
Kuntillah, Sinai peninsula, Egypt
Culture or time period:
Ahaywat tribe
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Headbands (headgear)
Function:
5.3 Objects relating to the Secular and Quasi-religious Rites, Pageants, and Drama
Accession date:
November 1977
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Loans:
S1981-1982 #39: University of California, Davis/Pat Charley (January 19, 1982–March 30, 1982)