Arabian Costume Native Kurdish and Native Iranian
by Kimberley Jacobs

Arabian Costume Native Kurdish and Native Iranian:

Arabian Costumes Native Kurdish and Native Iranian - two styles influenced by contact with Afghanistan; unfortunately, these often reflect the poverty end of the Arabian costume scale.

Kurdish:

CHARACTERISTICS: Fringed saddle pad-rug. Jineta, cavalry or pack saddle covered with another woven, often colorful, fringed rug. Woven breast collar with long fringes. Occasionally a tail crupper is used, as well as a third woven rug rear drape. Bridle is of any style. Large striped woven saddlebags are extremely popular with women riders - good way to carry the small children! English type stirrups. (See photos Kurdish One, Two, Three)

Iranian:

CHARACTERISTICS: Fringed or tasseled saddle pad-rug. Jineta, cavalry or pack saddle, or a stuffed rectangular pillow covered with a second woven fringed or tasseled rug. Occasionally a tail crupper is used, as well as a third woven rug rear drape. Bridle is of any style, sometimes with tassel and amulet decorations. Breast collar is minimal, again sometimes with tassel and amulet decorations. English type stirrups or no stirrups. (See photos Iranian One, Two, Three, Four, Five)

Examples of Arabian Costume

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	Photo Credit: Kurdish. National Geographic Magazine
Photo Credit: Kurdish. Internet Public Domain
	Photo Credit: Kurdish. Costume made by Kimberly Jacobs
Photo Credit: Iranian. Proud Horses, Proud Riders (This is actually an Afghan rider, but the style is similar) by Jean-Louis Nou
	Photo Credit: Iranian. National Geographic Magazine
Photo Credit: Iranian. National Geographic Magazine
	Photo Credit: Iranian. Made by Kimberly Jacobs (after a newspaper photo from the late 1980s that I no longer have in my possession.)
Photo Credit: Iranian. Made by Kimberly Jacobs (after a newspaper photo from the late 1980s that I no longer have in my possession.)