Pair of Clogs (Qabqab)

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Both men and women wore qabqabs (bath clogs) in hammams (public baths) throughout North Africa, the Mediterranean, and southwestern Asia. These raised wooden clogs elevated the wearer’s feet above the wet, soapy floors. The name "qabqab" derives from the clomping sound they make when walking on stone floors. Qabqabs for wealthy women were often elaborate, sometimes reaching stilt-like heights, three or four times as tall as this example. The use of materials like gold, silver, precious stones, mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, and embroidered straps reflected the owner’s wealth and social standing. The higher the clogs, the more likely the wearer would need assistance from attendants to walk, further emphasizing their elite status.

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