al-Hiba: Woven Mat Makers

Date: 1968

Ochsenschlager records that only one woman in the area was making woven mats in 1968. She had previously used split rushes, but by then was using nylon cord (used for fishing nets) bought from the town of Shatra. She works on a loom with two beams staked to the ground. The warp chords were tied individually to the beams, and she wove in the split rush weft by hand. Similarly to carpet weavers, she used a toothed comb to press in each course. See also: Weaver; Cord and Twine Maker; Maker of Plaited Basket; Maker of Wrapped Coil Baskets.