This item has been added to the Database within the Explore Islamic Art Collections project. Information is available in: English, Arabic.

Name of Object:

Burqa - Face Cover

Location:

Shahaniya, Qatar

Holding Museum:

FBQ Museum

About FBQ Museum, Shahaniya

Current Owner:

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani

Date of Object:

20th century

Museum Inventory Number:

FBQ.HH.2006

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Textile, copper, silver, ivory, shell, plastic

Dimensions:

Length: 39cm, Width: 37.5cm

Provenance:

Sinai, Egypt

Description:

A rare example of a traditional accessory that adorns nomadic women during special occasions such as weddings, the decorated veil remains a source of honour and identity for Bedouins. It is found across the Middle East, especially in Egypt’s Sinai region, southern Palestine, and the Tabuk region of north-western Saudi Arabia. The veil reflects the shared material culture and long-standing historical interactions across Sinai, the southern Levant, and north-western Arabia.

Shells, colourful beads and over 350 gold and silver coins adorn this burgundy veil, revealing only the eyes while the burgundy fabric masks the nose, mouth and neck. In a shiny coat of feathers, the coins aim to reflect ill intent, with the Maria Theresa thaler as a central display of wealth and status. Triangle and diamond shapes embody amulet-like powers in thoughtful cross-stitching and beadwork. As a final touch, cowrie shells defend against the evil eye and enhance fertility through their suggestive resemblance.

How date and origin were established:

The date and origin were derived from an examination of material and technique in a research comparison with similar objects.

How Object was obtained:

Purchase

How provenance was established:

The date and origin were derived from an examination of material and technique in a research comparison with similar objects.

Selected bibliography:

Abu-Rabia, A., "The Evil Eye and Cultural Beliefs among the Bedouin Tribes of the Negev, Middle East", Folklore, 116 : 3 (2005): 241-254.
Bille, M., Being Bedouin Around Petra: Life at a World Heritage Site in the Twenty-First Century, New York / Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2019.
Heller J.,"Magic, Status and Money", in Joseph Heller (ed), Sea Snails, Cham: Springer, 2015.
Kawar, W. K., "The Traditional Palestinian Costume", Journal of Palestine Studies, 10 : 1 (1980): 118-129.
Ransom, M., Silver Treasures from the Land of Sheba: Regional Yemeni Jewelry, Cairo / New York: American University in Cairo Press, 2014.

Citation of this web page:

Sarah Schroeder "Burqa - Face Cover" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;qt;Mus22;11;en

Prepared by: Sarah Schroeder
Copyedited by: Valerie Pulsifer

MWNF Working Number: QT2 11