Photo of installation at the Oriental Institute Museum

The Ramallah dress was made of undyed linen that was sometimes imported from Europe. Although it could be worn year-round, it was considered to be more appropriate for summer. Unlike dresses in most other regions, the Ramallah dress was decorated primarily in different shades of red silk cross-stitch. The embroidery is more restrained than in other regions, generally being limited to the chest panel and two narrow vertical branches that frame the front and back part of the dress skirt. The dress is decorated with the S-shaped “leech” pattern flanking multiple rows of “tall palms” and eight-pointed star motifs. The heavily embroidered horseshoe-shaped headdress (saffeh) is decorated with a row of coins that represent the woman’s bridewealth. A chin-chain with a Maria Theresa coin hangs from the headdress.

Dress: embroidery on linen, OIM A35635A

Shawl: embroidery on linen, OIM A35635B

Headdress: linen, cotton, silver coins, OIM A35633E

Chin-chain: silver, PHC 136