When considering the embroidery of the eastern Mediterranean, it’s useful to try to get a precise definition of the area this relates to. The Levant is the western part of Syria, Lebanon and Israel, including Palestine and western Jordan. The indigenous embroidery of this area, which hosts large Christian, Moslem and Jewish communities, also includes decoration worked by some nomadic Bedouin tribes. Much of the embroidery work is known as Palestinian, although various related forms of decoration are worked in all countries of the region.

The Levant has a long history of embroidery, particularly metal thread embroidery, though because of the Mediterranean climate and the fact that most embroideries have been in regular use for some considerable time, few examples survive that are over a hundred years old. Under Turkish rule which lasted until the early twentieth century, most pieces of professional goldwork embroidery were crafted by men. Today most f this work is done by women, occasionally on household items like marriage cushions, but mainly on decorative costumes for their own families’ use. Married women traditionally embroider with red and gold thread: unmarried girls wear blue and gold embroidered robes. Patterns are passed on from generation to generation, and are generally worked in silk thread on ground fabrics of cotton, linen or silk.

Embroidery designs throughout the Levant are generally densely worked, often in repeated motifs such as eight-pointed stars, known by local names such as wide open-eye or Bethlehem star, narrow borders called watermelons or chickens feet, and the universal tree of life. Repeating designs are sometimes purposely misaligned since it is considered unlucky to achieve a perfect stitch finish. Superstition enters into much of the embroidery and goldwork of the Levant, incorporating such things as turquoise beads to ward off the evil eye. Counter geometric work is also common throughout the area. It’s usually executed in cross stitch, but sometimes can be seen in buttonhole stitch or tent stitch. Free form embroidery is only practiced in Bethlehem and Gaza, where the women also work appliqué.

One form of embroidery practiced specifically in Damascus is Damascus goldwork. This takes the form of gold-coloured silk thread worked on white cotton ground. The goldwork embroidery is worked in intricate cross stitch and buttonhole stitch in repeating patterns of geometric devices such as zigzags and floral devices. Damascus goldwork is traditionally used for such items as table cloths and food covers, with embroidered outer surrounds, and a main central motif such as an eight-pointed star. It’s also used to decorate Druze men’s shirts.

Damascus goldwork is not now as popular as it once was. Embroiderers in the city prefer to use Cornely machines to mass produce embroidered items for sale throughout the Levant and elsewhere. Some traditional meal thread embroidery can still be seen around the Sea of Galilee, where Bedouin women still practice the art.