Arabs and turbans

[DBS]

Any thoughts as to the earliest evidence we have for Arabs wearing turbans, by which I mean wrapped around the head in the familiar depiction (right or wrong) of Islamic Conquest and Crusades period, as opposed to the current fashions for shemaghs/keffiyahs?  I realise that the same bit of cloth can often be worn in both styles.

I do wonder whether the turban per se is really a creature adopted when the Arab armies progressed east during the conquest, and started recruiting locals or adopting/adapting fashion.

Reason for asking is that I am painting some pro-Roman and pro-Sasanian Arabs, and have both turbaned and bare-headed figures.  To distinguish, I am currently minded to keep the bare-headed chaps for pro-Sasanian lads from Hira, whilst use the turbans for pro-Roman types with possible stronger links down to Arabia Deserta.

[Keraunos]

What an interesting question.  The article link below may be of use, though it is looking at civilian rather than military headwear.

LINK

There is a link to an earlier article on the era you are looking that mentions headgear for war but has far fewer pictures.

[DBS]

Thank you, very helpful.  Looks like no conclusive answer is available, which was my suspicion, but those articles take such evidence as is out there to an earlier point than I had managed thus far.

[Duncan Head]

Depending exactly what you mean by "turban", does the headcloth of the Arab delegation to Bahram II on Bishapur relief IV help? See here for a modern reconstruction that makes the detail much clearer. It's more of a keffiyeh than a turban, I suppose.

This thesis quotes passages speaking of "turbans" in the time of the Prophet:

In 7th century Arabia the customary head-covering was the turban, usually made of linen or cotton. A common item of clothing not only in pre-Islamic Arabia but elsewhere, the turban or imama, (the Arabic word most frequently used), was to become in time the distinctive sign of Arab birth and Muslim faith, the "crown of the Arabs" and the "divider between unbelief and belief".

[DBS]

Thank you, very interesting.  I agree the Bishapur reconstruction looks if anything closer to either skull caps or keffiyehs worn roughly in line with current Gulf practice.  By turban, I meant more the wrapped approach more akin to the practices of parts of the Indian sub-continent.  My personal suspicion is that may have become more common during the Arab Conquest period as they spread eastwards, but as I say, personal suspicion only.  One might also wonder in the pre-Islamic period about maritime trade influence.

[Nick Harbud]

Well, I could not possibly give any sensible answer to this.  However, the Wikipedia turban page is fascinating.  From it I discover that this particular for of head attire was not invented by the Arabs, but can be found on many earlier gentlemen.

[DuncanWB1963]

I agree the Bishapur reconstruction looks if anything closer to either skull caps or keffiyehs worn roughly in line with current Gulf practice.

This style of skull cap or loose keffiyeh would accord pretty well with the few head coverings shown for Arabs in the various Assyrian reliefs. The Assyrians mostly depict Arabs with uncovered hair.