Syrian Cap

Aleppo, Syria was a major textile producing center located along the Silk Road. The most distinguished type of weave produced there and to a lesser degree in Damascus was colloquially known as zok.

Zok is a slit tapestry technique reminiscent of flat weave rugs. It is weft face where the warp threads are hidden and the weft yarns discontinuous. Each color weft is interlaced back and forth in its own area. The distinguishing factor in the panels forming this hat is that the triangular shape is achieved by wrapping the weft over two or more warp threads. They are  essentially  panels with only one sided warp.

Zok tapestries can be made of cotton, wool, silk and or metallic threads.  This example is made of silk weft on cotton warp with no metallic details. The zigzag borders frame a somewhat abstracted florals. The wonderful lining is block printed cotton chintz.