THREADS
To speak of tatreez is to speak of memory woven into thread—an art passed from mother to daughter across centuries of tradition, exile, and resilience. In Palestine, embroidery is not merely decorative, it is a visual language, a map of origin, an act of resistance stitched in crimson and indigo.
But in recent years, this ancient embroidery has found a new canvas: jewellery. Transformed into etchings on gold, carvings in silver, and enamel inlays, tatreez has leapt from fabric to finery—retaining every bit of its soul along the way.
Tatreez: The Feminine Script of Palestine
The word tatreez (تطريز) means embroidery in Arabic, but it encompasses so much more. For centuries, Palestinian women have used needle and thread to record their identities—village, marital status, wealth, even dreams. Each stitch is deliberate. Each motif, storied.
Every region in historic Palestine had its own distinctive tatreez patterns. The lozenge-shaped “Tree of Life” of Ramallah. The stylised cypress of Hebron. The eight-pointed star of Gaza. These motifs weren’t just art—they were code, worn with pride on thobes (traditional dresses) like portable maps of belonging.
The Motifs: Symbols Carried Across Generations
Tatreez motifs are not ornamental. They are ancient glyphs, each bearing a unique significance:
The Cypress Tree (Sarw) – A motif found widely in Hebron and Bethlehem, symbolising steadfastness, eternity, and deep roots in the land.
The Key – A powerful emblem in modern tatreez, representing the right of return for Palestinian refugees and the homes they left behind.
Stars and Crosses – Often featured in the Galilee, stars (especially eight-pointed) represent guidance, while crosses predate Christianity, used in pagan fertility rites.
The Moon and Pomegranate – Associated with femininity, fertility, and divine protection—these motifs often decorate bridal thobes.
The Palm Tree and Wheat Sheaf – Evocative of agricultural abundance, these patterns pay homage to the land itself.
From Fabric to Fine Jewellery
Today, Palestinian artisans and designers in the diaspora and at home have reimagined tatreez—not to replace the textile tradition, but to preserve it in a new, more wearable form.
Etched Motifs on Gold & Silver
Tatreez patterns are now being meticulously engraved onto gold pendants, cuffs, and earrings. The repeated diamond or tree motifs, once stitched in red on black linen, are now incised in precious metals—silent tributes to foremothers and their craft.
Enamel Work Inspired by Threads
The vibrancy of tatreez thread is echoed in coloured enamel—greens, reds, and deep blues fill the negative space of patterned metal, creating the illusion of embroidery in high-shine jewellery. These pieces often use grid structures reminiscent of aida cloth, the foundation of traditional embroidery.
3D Relief & Textile-Inspired Forms
Some designers have even mimicked the raised texture of embroidery using repoussé techniques or filigree, creating jewellery that feels as tactile as the fabric that inspired it. You can run your fingers along the surface and feel the rhythm of stitches past.
Tatreez-Inspired Signet Rings
A growing trend is the tatreez signet ring—a modern heirloom carved with ancestral patterns. Worn by both men and women, they symbolise strength, origin, and cultural continuity.
Tatreez Jewellery as Cultural Resistance
Since 1948, tatreez has taken on even deeper meaning. As Palestinian villages were destroyed, thobes and embroidery patterns became evidence of what was lost—and what remains. Today, wearing tatreez is a defiant act of remembrance, and translating that into jewellery allows it to move through the world with renewed grace and power.
In gold and silver, the thread becomes eternal.
A New Legacy: Tatreez in the Hands of the Diaspora
Palestinian jewellers from Haifa to Amman, from Beirut to Brooklyn, are now carrying this heritage into the future. They are creating wedding bands etched with ancestral patterns, pendants inspired by heirloom thobes, and earrings that echo the geometric purity of hand-stitched borders.
Each piece becomes not just an accessory, but a statement of presence, of pride, of personal and collective history.
Tatreez is not simply stitched—it is carried, in every sense of the word. Into exile. Into new generations. Into art. And now, into jewellery that honours the past while crafting the future.
At Seza, we are proud to help translate these ancient symbols into finely crafted, wearable art. Whether through bespoke pendants inspired by your family’s village patterns, or wedding rings carved with the motifs of memory, we honour every thread—golden or otherwise.
Inspired by your family’s embroidery story? Let us bring it to life in precious metal. Talk to our artisans to create a tatreez-inspired custom piece that carries your history close to the heart.
