Basic Facts Regarding Middle Eastern Turbans

By Brittney Swanson


A turban is a special type of fabric that is long and slender which is worn by men to cover their heads. These clothing is quite long and ranges between five to nine metres. The quality of these items depends on the type of material from which they are made. Most designers use fine muslin, silk, cotton and other synthetics. It is enfolded around the head and held tightly by its own tension or by using special chinstraps. Middle Eastern turbans are worn for the various religious beliefs, customs and culture they represent.

The various turban styles available are adopted based on the event at hand. Times of grief require one to wear turbans that are plain and muted in color. There those designed specifically to be worn during various occasions to reveal the social rank of an individual his religious beliefs and values and so on. Turbans for weddings are usually embellished with attractive jewels and decorations to celebrate the joyous occurrence.

The main types of turbans in Middle Eastern countries are Keffiyeh and Amamah. These differ in the materials used and the tying techniques but generally serve the same purpose. The keffiyeh offers protection from the high temperatures by keeping the head cool. Many of the wraps in this region are white, green or black in color.

Women in this region are seen wearing the turban hijab which is an equivalent of the men turban. They wear them to special occasions such as weddings and parties. Ladies in other countries use them to cover their heads when affected by hair loss. The Islamic religion requires all women to mask their heads in public.

They are used as shawls to block or disguise the face. Unwrapped turbans warm the shoulders and are usually returned to the head when daytime temperatures change. The end of this piece cloth is sometimes wrapped around the face to prevent dust from entering the mouth. The Middle Eastern people living in deserts use them as protective clothing from dust and nomadic tribes use them as disguises.

Unwrapped clothing is easily modified into makeshift pillows by travellers in the desert region who need rest. It is sometimes slung across human backs to help in transporting bundles. Since the main source of water in this region is wells, this clothing is particularly useful in lowering containers into these wells. They also strain water to remove particles for human drinking. Ancient communities used them as weapons to strangle attackers.

Muslim men who wear turbans defend this practice by claiming that prophet Muhammad also wore white or green head wraps. Their main reason for wearing these head wraps is to emulate this messenger of God. The different designs and colors stand for various things in the Muslim society. The men are advised to accustom themselves with the different styles of wrapping them on the head.

The leaders and Scholars in the Islamic religion are seen to wear white wraps. Black Middle Eastern turbans are associated with those believed to have a direct ancestry with Prophet Muhammad. The Taliban group based in the Middle East is known for their black wraps. Each of the different Islamic regions in the Middle East has unique wraps associated with them. Libya, Sudan and Egypt prefer white wraps while those in Saudi Arabia have a preference for green ones.




About the Author:



Comments (0)

Posting Komentar