ABSTRACT
The following articles are always to be found in the guest or men’s portion of the tent, al raba’a.
Shadád—riding saddle, rear pommel usually richly inlaid with finely polished lead patterns having the appearance of silver, and similar to the inlay work on incense burners. Made of tamarisk wood (ithil).
Ja’ad—white or black sheepskin covering for riding saddle.
Ghazál al shadád—pommels of riding saddle.
Misáma—pack saddle, also made of tamarisk wood. The thongs used to tie the cross-pieces A A to the saddle arch B B, are made from the sinews of the camel’s neck: one of these exists on either side of the neck. They are as long as the neck, and as thick as a thin wooden pencil. There are several patterns of pack saddles, the commonest is shown in the sketch p. 85.
Kharj—men’s saddle-bag, it hangs over the top of the shadád under the sheepskin covering or ja’ad.
note.—Men’s saddle-bags and women’s ditto must be, if well made, 3 shibbrs and 1 chaf in width, i.e. 3 spans plus distance between extended thumb and forefinger. The richest and most fancied in Arabia are made in Kuwait and Hasa.
Dalla (plural: dallal)—coffee pot, minimum set of three. (Drawing shown is type used in Kuwait.) With the coffee pot is always found the lifa or piece of coir or hemp which is stuffed into the spout as a strainer to prevent coffee grounds entering the cup.
Háwan—mortar, usually of brass, for pounding coffee berries. Sometimes a plain iron cylindrical mortar and pestle is used by poorer Arabs, or a wooden mortar and stone pestle, light and convenient for those going on journeys.
Mahmása—coffee roaster. It is made of iron with brass bands let into the handle and having the appearance of gold. It is always fastened by a chain to the yed al mahmása.
Yed al Mahmása—coffee stirrer.
Markab—tripod for cooking coffee on. (Used in better-class tents only.)
Malgat—pincers (tongs).
Mukhbát—wooden peg to stir boiling coffee.
Shat fanajíl—brass case for holding coffee cups, usually engraved round sides with patterns or texts in Arabic.
Finjal (plural: finajíl)—coffee cup.
Mubarrad—wooden slipper for cooling coffee beans after roasting, studded with brass nails.
Mabkhar—burner for frankincense (luban) or sweet-smelling wood (’udh). The word is from the same root as bukhúr, incense. Made of tamarisk wood inlaid with brass and finely studded lead patterns, or made out of juss (gypsum) with sides carved out in various patterns.
Jiddá—wooden bowls made of tamarisk wood, all sizes, studded with brass nails, and inlaid in silver or lead.
Míraka—finely worked fancy leather apron, which hangs down in front of camel’s chest and stretches to its knees, used by Shaikhs and leaders.
Jiffar al tufaq—leather bag with tassel at muzzle end to carry rifle.
Mishá’ab—camel stick (sidr-tree wood).
’Assa—camel stick (made of cane).
Bakúra—camel stick (cane).
Mizúda—the small bag made of wool or leather for carrying money, hail or small quantities of dates when a man is travelling alone.
Risan—camel’s halter.
Riding Camel Saddle https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315727462/7bf489bf-380e-489e-84bd-e1582a9b1b0c/content/fig5_85_1_B.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> Al Shadád Or Riding Camel SaddleAl Ja’ad, black or white sheep-skin covering saddle.
Ghazál al Shadád, pommels.
Musainad, leather cushion to rest leg on when crossed in front of saddle.
https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315727462/7bf489bf-380e-489e-84bd-e1582a9b1b0c/content/fig5_85_2_B.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> Al Misáma Or Common Pack Saddle https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315727462/7bf489bf-380e-489e-84bd-e1582a9b1b0c/content/fig5_85_3_B.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> A, A. Cross pieces tied to saddle arches. B, B. Saddle arches. C, C. Weight-carrying pads, made of sacking and stuffed with chopped straw fodder.