Elaborate jumlo dress from the Swat - Kohistan - Khyber pass region on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Most Kohistani tribal people live in remote villages, where they make elaborate and fine embroidered and handwoven items.
A jumlo dress is a half long garment made of black cotton and is the most elaborate and most precious garment a member of the tribe can possess.
The chest part is completely filled with fine hand-embroidered tribal patterns, metal amulets, studs, antique coins, all kinds of buttons and metal applications. With movement the metal amulets and applications will make a soft tingling sounds, which will (according to local believe) keep evil spirits away.
This dress has been made in the 1970's as the colors yellow and blue have been added. Before 1970, mainly red was used.
The cuffs of the sleeves are finished with fine hand-embroidered patterns.
The skirt part has a straight cut.
Although this dress is in very good condition, some stains, small holes and signs of intense wear and high age are common on this kind of rare and ancient garments.
This exceptional and rare dress is worthy of a place in a museum.
For more information about this dress, please visit the website of Textile Research Center Leiden (Netherlands).
To preserve the authenticity of the dress, it is sold in the same and original state as we got it in from Afghanistan. We do NOT repair, mend, personalize, nor wash/dry clean it!
Main material: fine cotton, tribal embroidery, studs, antique coins, beads and all sorts of studs and applications
Size: see last picture - all sizes are approx.
shoulder width: 52 cm
waist: 62 cm - full waist: 124 cm
sleeve length: 57 cm
cuff width: 24 cm
total length: 118 cm
Age: 1970's
Origin: Kohistan
This dress is an antique handmade artisanal item: minimal deviation in size, color and pattern may occur.
Although we do our very best to provide clear pictures, minimal differences in color may occur.