by Christina de Korte, TRC intern from Utrecht University, 25 November 2024
Khayamiya is an Egyptian appliqué technique that is often used for tents for different occasions, such as iftar during Ramadan, weddings and funerals. Originally, khayamiya was handmade, by applying fabric pieces onto a ground cloth, but nowadays it can be produced with various techniques, which result in various shapes. Although khayamiya is very recognisable, the scenes and depictions have been changing throughout time.
Detail of a khayamiya door panel with Arabic calligraphy of Q 48:4 in Thuluth script, Egypt, late 20th century (TRC 2024.1544).
The largest part of the TRC khayamiya collection was acquired in preparation for the TRC exhibition on khayamiya in 2014 (for the online version, click here). The designs and colour combinations differ to a certain extent from what I encountered in 2023, when I followed courses on khayamiya in the Street of the Tentmakers in Cairo.
Khayamiya with Arabic calligraphy of Q 24:35, in Thuluth script, Egypt, 20th century (TRC 2022.1543).
Nevertheless, the usage of Arabic calligraphy on handmade khayamiya remains popular and can be found on all types and sizes. Around a third of the TRC’s khayamiya pieces contain Arabic texts, varying from a few words, to full texts that almost completely cover the cloth. The majority of these texts had not been translated yet, which is why I have started the translation process.
Khayamiya with basmalah in braided Kufic (top) and flourish Kufic (bottom), Egypt, 2013 (TRC 2013.0439).The Arabic texts can be divided into several categories, namely: Quranic verses, ‘Islamic’ sayings, ahadith (plural of hadith), names and cultural proverbs that originate, for example, from Egypt or Turkey. In this blog, I will share my first findings and discuss various examples for each category based on the collection of the TRC.
Quranic verses
Most of the Arabic pieces show Quranic verses, and in the case of the TRC collection all these verses are different. The longest verse can be found on TRC 2014.1064, in which the tentmaker used square Kufic script to write the well-known throne verse (Ayat al-Kursi, Q 2:255).
In contrast with this square piece, TRC 2022.1543 reminds me of the more ‘traditional’ khayamiya, in light of the colours used and the design. The verse on this cloth says “God is the Light of the heavens and the earth” (Q 24:35). However, when I discussed this piece with Nancy Tarek, who is working at the centre for calligraphy Al Qalam in Cairo, she explained that the calligraphy on this piece is a mixture of various types and therefore probably not made by a skilled calligrapher.
Khayamiya with "Praise to be God" in square Kufic script, Egypt, 2013 (TRC 2013.0614).Lastly, the Quranic citations on the two largest khayamiya pieces of the TRC collection, two door panels (Q 18:30 on TRC 2024.1544 and Q 48:8 on TRC 2024.1545), seem to have a less prominent role. At first, the text seems to be more of a detail, but because of the white letters on a red background, the sentence stands out.
‘Islamic’ sayings and ahadith
Two smaller pieces (TRC 2013.0302 and TRC 2014.0824) used the common expressions “God is the greatest” (Allahu Akbar), which is also known as takbir, and are depicted in Thuluth script.
Another common saying, called basmalah, “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” (Bismillah Rahman Rahim) can be found on various pieces of the TRC collection. This sentence is used for two items (TRC 2013.0435 and TRC 2014.0818) that look very similar at first sight.
The letters are written in the shape of an ostrich which is based upon a 19th century, or potentially earlier, Turkish pattern. Despite the fact that some tentmakers have their own signature, it is quite common that designs travel through the Street of the Tentmakers. Another basmalah can be found on TRC 2013.0439 which is combination of braided Kufic (top) and flourish Kufic (bottom).
Khayamiya with the outline of a horse filled with an (Egyptian) saying, Egypt, 2014 (TRC 2014.1071).
The square Kufic script discussed in the first paragraph is also used for TRC 2013.0614 which repeats four times the saying “Praise be to God” (Alhamdulillah). Two pieces (TRC 2014.1066 and TRC 2024.1542) include citations from different ahadith.
Khayamiya with part of a hadith in flourish Kufic, with a repeating and mirrored tile design in dark blue, mid-blue and turquoise on a pale fawn ground, Egypt, 2014 (TRC 2014.1066).TRC 2014.1066 is a colourful panel with a saying written in flourish Kufic: “The best of people are those who are the most beneficial to people.” TRC 2024.1542, similar in style as the earlier discussed door panels, says “Paradise is achieved through swords.”
Names and cultural proverbs
There is one khayamiya (TRC 2022.1805) piece that stands out as the subject portrayed is the neighbourhood of the Street of the Tentmakers, and the piece is created through elaborate techniques, which include various types of fabric and even paint to create shadows. It is the only piece which is signed and dated, besides the shop labels that are sometimes attached on the back of some pieces.
In addition to regular names, the 99 names of Allah are a common motif. These names are popular to use in calligraphy. In some pieces of the TRC, these names are hidden. A second look at TRC 2022.1803 shows that inside the fish on the left bottom seems to be the text “most kind or caring” (Ar-Ra’uf).
Khayamiya with signature of the Tentmaker Raouf Ayoub, Egypt, 1998 (TRC 2022.1805).Another example is TRC 2013.0440, on which the right leave has the text “Allah, the sublime” (Al-Aliyy) in Thuluth script. As can be seen in this example and the previous discussed khayamiya in the shape of an ostrich, calligraphy can be used to create a shape. Sometimes this is fitted with the textual meaning.
A great example is the (Egyptian) saying depicted as a horse on TRC 2014.1071, which says “Your tongue is your horse, if you preserve it, it will preserve you, if you abuse it, it will abuse you.”
Conclusion
The objects in the TRC collection were mostly created with the intention for the tourist market, both national and international. In light of this, these pieces were not used during ceremonies and were not part of a tent. However, they give an insight into the importance of Arabic language in khayamiya.
Khayamiya with fishes with calligraphy in the fish on the lower right, Egypt, early 2000’s (TRC 2022.1803).Despite the different categories of the writings, all the objects are very diverse in colours, designs and text. Interestingly, I did not encounter printed khayamiya with Arabic calligraphy in the TRC collection, but this was also the case during my stay in Egypt in 2023. I am looking forward to further delve into the use of calligraphy on khayamiya when I return to the Street of the Tentmakers early next year.
Furthermore, I want to expand the research to what extent khayamiya is intertwined with Islam. In addition, I am curious to see whether the categories I found at the TRC are still continuing in the Street of the Tentmakers. I cannot promise not to bring any new additions for the TRC back to the Netherlands with me.
Thanks to Nancy Tarek, Sherine Khalil, Islam Ramadan and Ramiya Suleiman for their help. All the Quranic translations are from the Study Quran (2017), edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr.
