Traditional Palestinian Kuffiyeh

The kuffiyeh, also known as a “kufiya”, “shemagh” or “hattah”, is a square-shaped cotton scarf. However, we all know it is much more than that. The keffiyeh has a long and complex history. Its roots date back to Mesopotamia in 3100 BC where it was worn by the Babylonians and Sumerians! The actual word ‘keffiyeh’ has its origins in the ‘Kufa’ area of Iraq and means “from the city of Kufa''. The scarf, which is usually made from cotton, was an essential piece of clothing for the Bedouins of the desert and Fellahi people, who used it as protection from heat and sand storms. It now goes by many names and can be found in numerous Arab countries such as Palestine.