Easy Persian Ladies Headwear, Part II:

By: THL Ghadah Falak Noor bint Safi ‘Abdu ‘llah

The Charqad:

Square of cotton, silk or other fabric folded diagonally and worn by women as a head covering;
the large point is worn towards the back and the two ends fastened under the chin with a pin or
tied.

This accessory is worn similarly to the Eastern European babushka

Woman tending the fire, detail from

Woman wearing charqad, detail, life in a Haftdad and the worm 1540
town, 1539-43

Detail of lady wearing a charqad under a

Blue charqad, indicating the use of color very sheer silk charqhat from the portrait
for head veiling. Detail from a lady with of Khursraw shown to Shirin 1494-95
a fan. 1590
How to make a Charqad:
Step 1: By taking the leftover triangle from part 1 of this class. Hem all three edges of
the triangle

Step 2: Wrap around face tie under chin. With hemmed edges facing the inside. This is
an easy to make ready to wear headpiece.

To add to the wardrobe and choices, use material of a pattern or solid color.
 Bibliography

Robinson, B.W. A descriptive Cataloge of the Persian Paintings in the Bodleian Library,
Oxford at the Carendon Press. 1958

Simpson, Marianne, S, Sultan Ibrahims Mirza’s Haft Awrang, Yale, 1997

Sims, Eleanor, Peerless Images, Yale University Press, 2002

Welch, Anthony. Artists for the Shah: Late sixteenth Century painting at the Imperial
Court Of Iran. Yale University Press 1986
Welch, Stuart Cary, Persian Painting: Five Royal Safavid Manuscripts of the Sixteenth
Century, George Brazillier, 1976
----- Wonders of the Age, Fogg Art Museum 1979

----- A Kings Book of Kings: the Shahnemeh of Shah Tahmasp, Metropolitan

Museum or art 1976