Handmade Palestine Shop Blogs & Resources Meet the Artisans This scarf we call the keffiyeh today has a fascinating history dating back to Sumerians and Babylonians in Mesopotamia. It is also known as a shemagh, hatta, yamegh, and igal. Prophet Mohammd (pbuh) used to wear the shemagh as well. Donning the shemagh has held many different meanings and uses over time and depending on location / culture. The symbolic meaning, color and style vary from one country to another and even from one region to another. For instance, here in Palestine, it’s very common to see a keffiyeh worn in solidarity protests and demonstrations. Where did the Keffiyeh originate? Today it is well known that the keffiyeh is a symbol of resistance and solidarity in the Arab countries and in Palestine in particular. But the root history is said to go back to the Sumerians in Mesopotamia (the civilization of Sumerians and Babylonians in West Asia in 3100 BC). The yamegh, or shemagh, was worn by priests, as a symbol of high rank, or honor. These priests were the rulers, managing and controlling the lands where they lived. Moving forward in history, the keffiyeh as a head covering was adopted by peasants who wore it while they were working on the land to protect them from the sun, and sand, as well to wipe their faces from the sweat, and in winter to protect them from the rain and cold.
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