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Bisht (clothing)

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Bisht
بِشْت
Sheikh Chassib, son of Sheikh Khazʿal bin Jaber, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Mohammerah, wearing the adorned bisht affiliated with the clothing, in a picture of 1923.
TypeArab clothing
MaterialCamel hair and Goat wool and for the wealthy pure gold thread
Place of originArabian peninsula
Introduced2300 BCE

A bisht (Arabic: بِشْت; plural: بِشُوت bishūt and بْشُوت bshūt), known in some Arabic spoken dialects as mishlaḥ (Arabic: مِشْلَح) or ʿabāʾ (Arabic: عَبَاء), is a traditional men’s cloak popular in the Arab world, and worn in general for thousands of years.[1][2]

According to ancient Christian and Hebrew paintings, a similar robe was worn in the days of Jesus by the people of the Levant.

The bisht is a flowing outer cloak worn over a thawb.

Symbol of Arab identity

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A bisht is usually worn for prestige on special occasions such as weddings, or festivals such as Eid, or for Ṣalāt al-Jumuʿah or Salat al-Janazah. It is usually worn by secular officials or clergy,[1] including tribal chiefs, kings, and imams over a thawb, kanzu or tunic. It is a status garment, associated with royalty, religious position, wealth, and ceremonial occasions such as weddings, like the black-tie tuxedo[3] in the West.[1][4]

Etymology

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The triliteral root of the word bisht is widely used in Semitic languages, including Arabic, and is related to the Akkadian bishtu, meaning 'nobility' or 'dignity'.[5]

The alternate name of ʿabāʾ (Arabic: عَبَاء) is from the Arabic triliteral root ʿAyn-Bāʾ-Wāw, which relates to 'filling out'.

Colour

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It is usually black, brown, beige, cream or grey in colour. However, there are Bishts which are made in colours like magenta, blue, cyan, and others.[1]

Manufacturing

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Bisht is made from camel's hair and goat wool that is spun and wove into a breathable fabric. Some bisht garments include a trim, known as "zari", made out of silk and metals such as gold and silver.[6]

The fabric has a soft yarn for the summer and the coarse-haired for winter.

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In the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani placed a bisht on the Argentine captain Lionel Messi before the 35-year-old was handed the trophy.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Al-Mukhtar, Rima (7 November 2012). "Traditional & modern: The Saudi man's bisht". Arab News.
  2. ^ *Urbanarabian. "B – Sweater – Over Sized Sweater". Urbanarabian. Archived from the original on 2016-09-11. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  3. ^ "Kate dusts off her Alexander McQueen tuxedo for stunning appearance". Evening Standard. 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  4. ^ "A symbol of Arab identity". Gulf News. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  5. ^ Dr. Ali Fahmi khashim, Akkadian Arabic Dictionary Page 140
  6. ^ Mahdavi, Pardis. "Lionel Messi's black cloak: a brief history of the bisht, given to the superstar after his World Cup triumph". The Conversation. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
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