An account of the manners and customs of the modern EgyptiansLane, Edward William
History
An account of the manners and customs of the modern Egyptians
Lane, Edward William
Egypt -- Social life and customs
The dress of a large proportion of those women of the lower orders who
are not of the poorest class consists of a pair of trousers or drawers
(similar in form to the shintiyán of the ladies, but generally of plain
white cotton or linen), a blue linen or cotton shirt (not quite so full
as that of the men), a burko’ of a kind of coarse black crape,[74] and a
dark blue tarhah of muslin or linen. Some wear over the shirt, or
instead of the latter, a linen tób, of the same form as that of the
ladies. The sleeves of this are often turned up over the head; either to
prevent their being incommodious, or to supply the place of a tarhah. In
addition to these articles of dress, many women who are not of the very
poor classes wear, as a covering, a kind of plaid, similar in form to
the habarah, composed of two pieces of cotton, woven in small chequers
of blue and white, or cross stripes, with a mixture of red at each end.
It is called “miláyeh:”[75] in general it is worn in the same manner as
the habarah; but sometimes like the tarhah.[76] The upper part of the
black burko’ is often ornamented with false pearls, small gold coins,
and other little flat ornaments of the same metal (called “bark”);
sometimes with a coral bead, and a gold coin beneath; also with small
coins of base silver; and more commonly with a pair of chain tassels, of
brass or silver (called “’oyoon”), attached to the corners. A square
black silk kerchief (called “’asbeh”), with a border of red and yellow,
is bound round the head, doubled diagonally, and tied with a single knot
behind; or, instead of this, the tarboosh and faroodeeyeh are worn,
though by very few women of the lower classes. The best kind of shoes
worn by the females of the lower orders are of red morocco, turned up,
but round at the toes. The burko’ and shoes are most common in Cairo,
and are also worn by many of the women throughout Lower Egypt; but in
Upper Egypt, the burko’ is very seldom seen, and shoes are scarcely less
uncommon. To supply the place of the former, when necessary, a portion
of the tarhah is drawn before the face, so as to conceal nearly all the
countenance excepting one eye. Many of the women of the lower orders,
even in the metropolis, never conceal their faces. Throughout the
greater part of Egypt the most common dress of the women merely consists
of the blue shirt, or tób, and tarhah. In the southern parts of Upper
Egypt, chiefly above Akhmeem, most of the women envelop themselves in a
large piece of dark brown woollen stuff (called a “hulaleeyeh”),
wrapping it round the body, and attaching the upper parts together over
each shoulder;[77] and a piece of the same they use as a tarhah. This
dull dress, though picturesque, is almost as disguising as the blue
tinge which, as I have before mentioned, the women in these parts of
Egypt impart to their lips. Most of the women of the lower orders wear a
variety of trumpery ornaments, such as ear-rings, necklaces, bracelets,
etc., and sometimes a nose-ring.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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