“The Great Dress“ (l-kesiwa l-kebira; berberisca), late 19th century Dark velvet garment
“The Great Dress“ (l-kesiwa l-kebira; berberisca), late 19th century Dark velvet garments embroidered with gold thread were part of the majestic Great Dress of the bride from Tetuan, Morocco. Beneath their festive clothes, the bride and groom wore white linen shrouds that would eventually wrap their bodies after death. These garments, thought to have protective properties, formed part of the dowry and were decorated with the same motifs as the wedding dress. The central motif is a spiral pattern (found as well on Tetuan tombstones), illustrating the cyclical quality of life and human destiny, which have a beginning and an end, but are also infinite. Material and technique: Silk velvet, metal-thread embroidery on cardboard cutouts, silk, metallic ribbons. -- source link
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