Overcoat Dress (Jellaya)

Star motifs adorn the chest of this elaborate jellaya, or Palestinian overcoat dress, evoking a night sky aglow with brilliant lights. Lower down, palm-tree motifs, flowing zigzags of water, and trees of life create a rich, earthy tableau in hues of purple, yellow, green, and reddish rust. The skirt is covered in intricate, labor-intensive cross-stitch embroidery known as tatreez, and the specific patterns are hallmarks of garments made and worn in the Ramallah region of Palestine in the mid-to late 19th century.