Towel-scarf c. 19th century

This embroidered towel-scarf is adorned with the motifs of pomegranates and stylized floral elements. The pomegranate, a symbol of fertility and abundance, is found across many cultures—from ancient Greece, where it was associated with Hera, to its presence in Jewish and Christian art symbolizing prosperity and divine favor. Here, these fruits are not merely decorative; they carry within them a history of cross-cultural exchange. The stylized floral elements, woven alongside the pomegranates, echo the endless cycle of nature and are a powerful visual representation of growth and renewal. Think of the "horror vacui" in classical art. There's an aversion to empty spaces that suggests the subconscious human desire to fill voids, to stave off the anxiety of emptiness. The towel-scarf, beyond its practical use, embodies a deeper cultural and psychological function—a tangible link to ancestral memories, continually adapted and reinterpreted through the hands of each artisan. These patterns return as cultural palimpsests, forever changed yet fundamentally connected to their origins.