Khamak is a distinguished embroidery artwork from Kandahar. Embroidery is the usual practice for household textiles by women artisans in Afghanistan.[1] Khamak consists of very complicated designs than other techniques (Such as Gul dozee which is an easier stitch pattern embroidery). They use delicate silk satin stitches on fine woven cloths of cotton or wool fabrics.[2][3]

Name

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Khamak is also called Khamak dooze or Kandahari means ‘Kandahar’s work[4],’ Khamak is a word of Pashto language.[5]

Artwork

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Khamak is one of the intricate embroidery forms consisting complex natural and geometric designs in repetitive or multiple patterns incorporating a combination of stitch patterns and techniques which demands high skill artisans.[2] For women in Kandahar the embroidery is a natural skill. It is their traditional activity besides weaving and sewing.[1][6]

The Kandahari ( Khamak) is mainly used for decorating pashtun clothing, many linens such as pillow covers and tablecloths and scarves and shawls.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Heath, Jennifer; Zahedi, Ashraf (2011-03-23). Land of the Unconquerable: The Lives of Contemporary Afghan Women. University of California Press. p. 338. ISBN 978-0-520-26186-0.
  2. ^ a b Deacon, Deborah A.; Calvin, Paula E. (2014-06-18). War Imagery in Women's Textiles: An International Study of Weaving, Knitting, Sewing, Quilting, Rug Making and Other Fabric Arts. McFarland. pp. 200, 190. ISBN 978-0-7864-7466-0.
  3. ^ M. Catherine Daly, University of Nebraska at Omaha. "Afghan After a Fashion: The Fusion of Politics with Religion and Women's Textile Craft Economies".
  4. ^ "House of Wandering Silk | Meet the Makers | Afghan embroidery". houseofwanderingsilk. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  5. ^ "House of Wandering Silk | Meet the Makers | Afghan embroidery". houseofwanderingsilk. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  6. ^ Deacon, Deborah A.; Calvin, Paula E. (2014-06-18). War Imagery in Women's Textiles: An International Study of Weaving, Knitting, Sewing, Quilting, Rug Making and Other Fabric Arts. McFarland. p. 190. ISBN 978-0-7864-7466-0.
  7. ^ Cabrera, Angel; Unruh, Gregory (2012). Being Global: How to Think, Act, and Lead in a Transformed World. Harvard Business Press. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-4221-8322-9.