Eritrean traditional dress is best seen at weddings, holidays and parties, when elegant handwoven white cotton takes centre stage.
The zuria
The zuria is a common traditional dress of Eritrea, worn by Tigrinya women, and it is also worn by Amhara women in Ethiopia. Its defining feature is a horizontal band of handwoven or embroidered geometric patterns, called tilet or tibeb, around the hem, with matching patterns on the cuffs and neckline. A white, scarf-like netsela is worn over the shoulders and head.
Fabrics and tailoring
High-end celebratory zurias are mostly made from menen fabric, a prized variant of Shewa Amhara handwoven cotton. Standard zurias are sold from Addis Ababa and reach Eritrea through regional merchant networks, while tailors in Asmara use jadid fabric for everyday traditional garments. Formal zurias are also worn for religious holidays and formal events. More broadly, Eritrea shares an appreciation for fabrics, tapestry and jewellery with its neighbours Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan.
Sources: Wikipedia: Zuria, Wikipedia: Culture of Eritrea.
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