The Southern Coastal (Gaza) Region
This southern coastal region was famous for its
weaving centers located in the village
of Majdal. After the war of 1948, and the expulsion of the Palestinians
from their ancestral villages, these centers moved to Gaza and Lydda where
they continued to produce their famous narrow-cut (maqta) cotton abric
with p
urple or green silk stripes (Abu Mitayn, jiljileh, janeh wa-nar)
used in this area's dresses.
The embroidery on these dresses is in cross-stitch using predominantly purple color, famous for this area since Canaanite time. Canaanites extracted this precious purple color from Murex seashells and gave Canaanits name; the land of the purple. The motifs embroidered on the dress were: stair, cypress tree, comb and the hijab patterns.
Back of Asduud dress
Front and back of Asduud dress
The chest panel of early twentieth century dresses
differ from other regions in beingembroidered onto
the main fabric of the dress rather
than on a separate squ
are panel as is
the casein most of the Palestinian regions. The chest embroidery is a
V-shape necklace (kilada) with inverted cypress tree patterns.
Asdud Irq Al-Loz Gaza area scarf
Veils
Veils in
this region were made of three pieces of linen with cotton tassels. The
embroidery is in cross-stitch with purp
le silk thread using similar
patterns to those embroidered on the dress. Everyday
veils are predominantly of white cotton or of beige and white stripped
cotton.
Headpiece Asdud area scarf
Belts worn in this region of Palestine were usually the zunnar kashnir or ishdad. Several other belts used for everyday wear were made of patterned cotton fabric.