A&S50 twelve: Hand stitched stripey dress

[julia_spring]

Hand stitched Medieval Middle Eastern dress

Description
This dress is intended for a man or woman of the bourgeoisie class in Cairo during the Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171 C.E.). Judging from the descriptions of garments discussed the Cairo Geniza, I identify this garment as maqta’(1). The maqta’ is described as a common garment like the thawb, but

Comments

[dona_violante]

Peektures?

[julia_spring]

Pics this evening. :)

I know you use the same pattern layout, how do you justify it?

[dona_violante]

One, count 'em ONE extant garment which is purportedly Moorish: the tunic of Archbishop Rodrigo Ximenez de Rada. Dude was buried with a plethora of clothing, and one of the garments is allegedly Moorish in origin. I latched onto it as a source and have used it ever since. It's roughly the same layout as the child's tunic in Embroideries and Samplers, just with different proportions. It's about 80" around at the chest! I just uploaded it so you can see it. Note that this is a view from the back. This is from al-Andalus: Art of Islamic Spain.

http://pics.livejournal.com/dona_violante/pic/0001we8s/

[julia_spring]

This is Dodds, right? I know there is another one, in a book on textile conservation. The book was available before 1999, and the tunic needed a special structure built because the arms aren't straight, so one arm hangs higher than the other. There's tablet weaving on that too. A girlfriend had it years ago, and that's all I remember about it.

[dona_violante]

I got a book when I was in Spain about the restoration of this, and the rest of his garments. We actually went to the monastery and saw it in real life! The silk was as light weight as sari silk, even with the lining and (stabilizer) interlining. It was amazing!

[julia_spring]

I still think both you and Sol are selling yourselves short by not embracing Stillman's assertion that, exempting Persia, there is a pan-Islamic style of dress in the Middle Ages. --Just like all the people I call "Vikings". :)

I just added illumination to this that clearly shows the same pattern in use.

[dona_violante]

Oh, sure. I agree that most of the Islamic world used the same basice garments, with the same basic cut. It is THE most efficient use of fabric, after all. But a case built on analogy is much stronger when you have one garment to use as proof.

OTOH, there are a several of Moorish garments which are Christian/Roman in origin rather than Islamic/Arab. Each region had it's own unique characteristics. :)