Antique Egyptian Woman's Bedouin Religious Face Mask Covering Coins 1800s (C)

Description

Up for your consideration is a beautiful
Bedouin tribal female religious face mask
adorned with coins, chains, beads and additional cloth and weaving.  The mask is not only a face covering but a movable bank balance because of its traditional coins, including silver coins ranging back to the Ottoman Empire.  In the past, such coins on similar masks would be worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars.  It’s also a definition of the tribe from which the woman belongs, and a reflection of the area she lives in. The cloth is made of Marmar which is very close to silk and dyed with stunning colors.
Maker:
Unknown
Date:
pre 1900s
Origin:
Egypt - North Sinai Approx Dimensions: 15.5" h x 11.5" w
Condition Mask
: Very nice antique condition, some signs of moderate wear/marking from age, use, handling and storage, nevertheless a stunning handmade article in its own right and a very rare piece indeed.
Description:
EGYPT Real Bedouin Woman’s Face Mask – North Sinai – Vintage Coins – Tribal
Pre-1900   HISTORICAL OVERVIEW:  The Bedouin woman’s mask - from Sinai - is a movable bank balance because of its traditional gold parts, which could cost thousands of pounds.  It’s also a definition of the tribe from which the woman belongs, and a reflection of the area she lives in. The shape of the Bedouin Mask changes according to the tribe.  The Bedouin woman knows the mask is also to protect her from the men’s eyes.  Gradually it was converted to be an accessory for her.     In the past, the Bedouin women made the pigmentation for the cloth.  The famous colors of the Bedouin women’s mask in the Sinai are red, orange, brown and white.
Additional Information:
The mask is composed of pieces of cloth embroidered with colorful threads call Wokka.  It covers the head and ears and is tied by two strips. On the Wokka hangs another piece of cloth that is yellow or red and rectangular, and is called Gabha.  This is made of strong cloth that is fixed on the head and tied from the back.    Another part of the mask is called Rashash, and that is composed of a group of old coins that are tied in strips and fixed on the Gabha. Rashrash is a heavy weight fixed in the lower part of the mask.  It is pulled to prevent shrinkage and is fixed to the mask. This Rashrash is composed of an arrangement of threads of seeds and beads with different colors.  At the end of Rahrash they may place a piece of gold behind the eyes.    Also there are two openings – ring shaped – and fixed in the Gabha.  These openings are used to tie the mask with the Gabha, by metal or with a silver chain.    The mask is decorated with gold or silver coins that are arranged beside each other and fixed in the middle of the Gabha.  The hanging lower part is called Sella.  The Sella shows the real wealth, as it is the most expensive part in the mask.   Bedouin women sew coins in the parts of the mask.  All she owns of pure gold and rare coins make the mask expensive, and of course it also attracts great admiration.   The mask is made from Marmar cloth, which is similar to silk.  The mask features a large number of antique coins, some more than 150 years, coming from the Ottoman era – Constantinople.  This mask has 100s of coins sewn into it.   Rashrash is made of neatly arranged seed beads with different colors (blue, green, orange, red and white) and fixed in the Gabha.   The Gabha has coins and two pieces of filigree art with unknown stones.  This mask comes from the tribe called Bayadia, which is in the Sinai.  Four coins are under the eyes at each side.    Golden-colored coins are found in the Sella, and are from the Ottoman era – Constantinople.  The lowest part of the mask has several coins a metal chain in the middle.  Two unknown stones at the corner of the lowest part of the mask may be from the Sinai desert.  Long metal chains are located beside the area for the ears.  Two ropes fix the Gabha on the head.
COINS:  Hundreds of different sizes and shapes from the Ottoman era – Constantinople, such as Mohamed bin Abd El Hameed – different dates.  And coins of Sultan Mahmoud Abd El Hameed Khan – different dates.  Also coinage of Egypt – different dates.
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