Episode date: Length: 1 min 41 s
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The shemagh (headscarf) and agal (cord) are historic Arab dress. The Mukhtar asked a trader in Old Damascus, whose shop goes back more than a century: what does each colour and pattern mean?
The short answer
According to the trader, the large pattern is Palestinian, the medium one Iraqi, and another belongs to the Levant, while red is worn by all Arabs. A shemagh is about 80% cotton because cotton keeps the head cool. In September 2025 it cost about $3.1 to $7.9 (350 to 900 new Syrian pounds).
The trader said black and white is the recognised colour. The large pattern is Palestinian, the medium one Iraqi, and there is a Levantine one. Red is shared by all Arabs. Other colours are used on stage.
Who wears which style?
Jordanians and Palestinians like the fringed shemagh. In the Gulf it is worn differently. The agal shows that the wearer is a man of standing, while young men wrap the shemagh without one.
What is it made of?
About 80% cotton, because cotton keeps the head cool.
How much is a shemagh?
Prices ran about $3.1 to $7.9 (350 to 900 new pounds), depending on the cotton and the make.
Questions people ask
How much is a shemagh in Damascus?
In September 2025 about $3.1 to $7.9 (350 to 900 new Syrian pounds), depending on cotton and make.
How do Palestinian and Iraqi shemaghs differ?
According to the trader in the episode, the large pattern is Palestinian and the medium pattern Iraqi.
Why is the shemagh made of cotton?
Cotton keeps the head cool; a shemagh is about 80% cotton.
We ask sellers in the market and record every price with its date, in US dollars and new Syrian pounds. How we work
The Mukhtar Al Souq team: produced by Ahmad Nahas (the show on his site) · written by Ahmad Nahas, Mazen Shbib, Ranim Shabani and Dania Halbouni · edited by Abdulrahman Al-Nassar and Abdulrahman Mulla · graphics by Wael Fayyad
The truth from the market, for the people