Baloch traditional clothing (Balochi:جامگ، پوچ) is a historical and contemporary aspect of Baloch heritage and deep association between the traditional dress and Baloch ethnic identity.[1]
Statue of a Baloch man and woman with Balochi clothing - Zahedan
Background
Dress code and personal upkeeping are among the cultural values, which distinguish a Baloch from others. The Baloch dress and personal upkeeping very much resemble the Parthian ways. Surprisingly, no significant changes can be observed in the Balochi dress since the ancient times.[3]
Baloch clothing is derived from Parthian clothing, especially Baloch men's pants[4] are very wide like Parthian pants, but narrow near the hem or hem, and twisting causes folds in it.[5][6][7]
The Baloch have worn their traditional clothing since ancient times, and this clothing was spread beyond the borders of Balochistan by ancient dynasties. The similarity of the clothing of Baloch men with other geographical regions such as India is as a result of the power of the Iranian ancient dynasties.[8]
Balochi needlework or Balochi embroidery, is a type of Balochi handicrafts which is used on Balochi women's clothing, in some sources, the beginning of this art is 100 to 200 years before Islam, and the available evidence indicates that this method of sewing has been common among the Baloch people since the beginning of Islam, and in The Ilkhanate era, especially the Timurid and Safavid eras, has reached its peak.[9]
Men's Balochi suit
Baloch men wear a dress named Jameh or Jamak. It consists of two parts; one is upper body clothing and the other is a loose skirt reaching to the knee. trouser(shalwar) has approximately 2.2 m wide.[10]
The men's shalwar kameez consists of a very baggy shalwar troser[11] which uses large lengths of cloth.[12] The kameez is also loose,[13] which traditionally is long with long sleeves.[14]
Chakan doz is a hand-embroidered hat of the nobles, this type of hat is made of fabric on which needlework is done.[15]
Shawl(Balochi:شال) is a woolen coat worn in winter.[16]
The female Balochi suit consists of the head scarf, long dress and a shalwar(Pajamak). Balochi women wear loose dresses which are Balochi needlework and embroidered in local designs which include Balochi silk-thread chain-stitch embroidery.[17]
Serig: It is a kind of big rectangular scarf that is decorated with embroidery.
Footwear: Baloch women use four types of shoes, namely Sawas, Mochi, Katuk and Takkul.
Balochi embroidery alone has 118 different basic designs.[18]
Baloch women use a large scarf to cover their heads called a sareg.[19]
Children in Quetta wearing local embroidery designs
Traditional Balochi dresses
Balochi traditional wear
Ornaments and Jewelry
Gold ornaments such as necklaces and bracelets are an important aspect of Baloch women's traditions and among their most favoured items of jewellery are dorr, heavy earrings that are fastened to the head with gold chains so that the heavy weight will not cause harm to the ears. They usually wear a gold brooch (tasni) that is made by local jewellers in different shapes and sizes and is used to fasten the two parts of the dress together over the chest.[23]
Balochi ornaments are used for head and hair, ears, hands and feet.[24]
Balochi brooch(Balochi:سنجاک سینه): it is tied in the front pocket of the shirt in the chest area.[25]
Baloch earrings(Balochi:در(durr)): The women wear it.[25]
Pulu and Pulluk(Balochi:پلّک):It is placed in the nostril with a clip.[25]
Haar and touq(necklace and bracelet).
Sangah or Tali(Balochi:سنگاه یا تالی): rings around hands.
Mundriek(Balochi:پلّک):rings in hand and foot fingers.[25]
^Heidari, Zahra (2016-11-13). "سوزندوزی بلوچ، هنری ریشهدار در تاریخ" [Baloch embroidery, an art rooted in history]. ایسنا (ISNA) (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-03-11.
^Peter J. Claus, Sarah Diamond, Margaret Ann Mills (2003) South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka [4]
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