# Arab headwear

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arab-headwear/153949>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 9, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arab-headwear/153949 "2003-02-09T21:54:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arab-headwear/153949/1 "2003-02-09T21:54:43Z")

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Is there significance to the color and pattern? I’ve seen many red checks on white.  
Does it represent a clan, old school, or is it like the popularity of red ties?

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**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arab-headwear/153949/2 "2003-02-09T23:10:08Z")

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“The Guttrah comes in various colours and patterns and none identifies it with any region or tribe. Plain white head cloth and red hounds tooth check version are commonly used throughout Arabia today. It also comes in white with thick and thin coloured lines, usually black, brown and green, trimming the sides. The white head cloth is simply called the Guttrah while the red-checkered version is known by the name Shumagh.”

[http://www.geocities.com/hyderabadnews/news/arabs.html](http://www.geocities.com/hyderabadnews/news/arabs.html)