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What did people wear?

A man wearing a thawb and taqiyah.
Image caption,
A man wearing a modern day thawb (long tunic) and taqiyah (cap).
  • In the early Islamic civilisation, it was traditional to dress modestly and cover the body.

  • It was disrespectful if your clothing trailed on the ground or if the basic undergarments were past the ankle in length.

  • Men started wearing a long one piece garment with sleeves called a thawb.

  • Many women wore a headscarf or a veil to cover their faces.

  • Men would often cover their heads with a turban.

  • Richer people in the society were able to afford damask fabric (named after Damascus in Syria) which was a patterned silk

  • Poorer workers would have worn cheaper materials such as wool and would have worn fewer layers.

  • During the Abbasid Caliphate (AD751 - 1258), court officials began to wear black for ceremonies.

  • Black became a popular colour for clothes because it represented wealth and high status.

A man wearing a thawb and taqiyah.
Image caption,
A man wearing a modern day thawb (long tunic) and taqiyah (cap).
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What were clothes made from?

A silk loom.
Image caption,
Silk was a luxury fabric and not many ordinary people could afford to buy it.
  • Most clothes were made from linen, cotton and wool.

  • Shoes and sandals were made of leather.

  • Traders in the early Islamic civilisation introduced new fabrics from countries like China. These included silk which was very expensive.

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Special fabrics and perfumes

A Tiraz was a piece of fabric with writing on it such as a ruler's name. They were given to important people who worked with the Caliph as a sign of honour. They were worn as bands and sewn onto robes.

A Tiraz could be made of linen, wool or cotton. Some were dyed yellow, green, or brown. The writing would have been embroidered (sewn) onto the fabric.

A Tiraz with writing on it.
Perfume sprinkler from probably Syria, 11th-mid-13th century.
Image caption,
Perfume sprinkler from probably Syria, 11th-mid-13th century.

People used spices and oils to make perfume. Popular ingredients included roses, orange blossoms and water lilies.

Scientist Al-Kindi carried out experiments to work out ways of creating perfumes with plants and oils. Perfume could be used as part of religious ceremonies.

Perfume sprinkler from probably Syria, 11th-mid-13th century.
Image caption,
Perfume sprinkler from probably Syria, 11th-mid-13th century.
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Activity: Quiz 鈥 Early Islamic clothing

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