Gargush ( he, גַּרְגּוּשׁ) is a traditional

Yemenite Jewish Yemenite Jews or Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ''Yehudei Teman''; ar, اليهود اليمنيون) are those Jews who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. Between June 1949 and September 1950, the ...

headdress Headgear, headwear, or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head, including hats, helmets, turbans and many other types. Headgear is worn for many purposes, including protection against the elements, d ...

, resembling a hood, which is thought to have originated in the Sanaite community.

History

Yemenite Jews Yemenite Jews or Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ''Yehudei Teman''; ar, اليهود اليمنيون) are those Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Is ...

have throughout the ages preserved ancient Jewish modesty traditions through their clothing. The gargush has been the primary headdress worn by

women for many generations. In

Sana'a Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Gover ...

and the surrounding area, the gargush distinguished Jewish women from Muslim women. Jewish women of all ages would wear the gargush; however, the design and material used would vary depending on marital status, locality, and occasion.

Significance

The gargush was made to comply with the

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...

mandate on married women covering their hair. It acts as a hoodlike headpiece which extends onto the shoulders, and is closed under the chin by a button. The wearer's marital status was often signified by the jewelry and ornaments attached to the gargush. The materials used varied from black cotton and velvet (''gadifah'') to golden-threaded brocade (''mizahhar''). The most decorated gargush among Jewish women in

was the ''gargush mizahhar mirassaf'' (the full golden hood), which was adorned with gilt silver filigree (made by

Yemenite Jewish silversmiths Yemenite silversmithing refers to the work of Jewish silversmiths from Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian P ...

) and gilt coins hanging on the exterior. It was usually part of a woman's dowry from her father. On the Sabbath and

Jewish holidays Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainstre ...

, women would wear a variant known as ''gargush gadifah'', which is made of black velvet, with silver decorations around the hood border. Traditionally, in Yemenite Jewish culture, at the age of seven, a girl would wear her first gargush, typically a basic one with nominal silver decorations. Around the age of 12, she would receive a fancier costume and gargush. Bridal gargushes are viewed as elaborate headpieces, completely covered up by gold-patterned brocade laced with golden ornaments. After getting married, a woman was required to wear a gargush when outside or whenever visitors were present. Outside of signifying modesty, gargushes were seen as sexual signals. Wearing fancy make-up while wearing a gargush was seen as showing sexual desire to her husband. In public, a woman would be viewed as promiscuous if her gargush was worn loose.

References

{{Reflist Yemenite Jews Jewish Yemeni history Jews and Judaism in Yemen Jewish religious clothing Middle Eastern clothing Religious headgear