Jorabs Explained

Jorabs are multicolored socks with intricate patterns, knitted from the toe-up. They are usually worn in such a way as to display rich decoration.

Etymology

The word "Jorabs" originates from Arabic جورب which has a general meaning of "socks". Other known variants of the term are “çorap" (Turkish), "чорап" (Bulgarian, Macedonian) "čarape" (Serbian), “corab" (Azerbaijani), "čarapa" (Bosnian), “Ҷӯроб" (Tajik), and "şətəl" (Tat).

The same concept is also known by such local terms as “kyulyutar” in Lezgin, “” in Tsakhur, and “unq’al” in Avar languages of Dagestan.

Materials

Jorabs are made of wool, silk, nylon or sometimes cotton. Other materials include acrylic and blends of wool and cotton.

Geography

Jorabs are found in Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan), Caucasus (Dagestan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia); also in Iran, and mountain areas of Pakistan. They are also known in the Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey.

Shape

Jorabs can be knee-high, regular length, ankle-length, or made as slippers. An early predecessor of jorabs, a knee-high 12th century sock with toe-up construction and intricate patterns, was found in Egypt with possible origin in India.

Tools

Jorabs are usually knitted with 5 double-pointed needles. Bosnian and in old Tajik socks feature a combination of knitting and crochet techniques. Tajik jorabs (Pamirs area) can be made by using crochet technique only. Some ethnic groups from the Caucasus knit jorabs with 3 double-pointed bow-shaped needles.

References

• Web site: Traditional Macedonian Costumes . Macedonianspark.com . macedoniadirect . 13 July 2009 . Scribd .
• Web site: Knitted Socks . Crafts-bg . 2001 . 24 May 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110524005757/http://www.mctour-bg.com/crafts-bg/pletivo1en.htm . dead .
• Web site: Larisa . Vilensky . From Carpets to Jourabs . Crochet Insider .
• Web site: Antique Persian Silk Socks from Kurdistan . Textile As Art: Antique Textiles, Woven Treasures . 2011-02-18 . 2023-01-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230128044533/http://textileasart.com/1220.htm . dead .
• Web site: Jorab . 2010 . Azerbaijan Carpets . Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan . 21 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120321144356/http://carpet.intangible.az/content.php?lang=en&page=98 . dead .
• Web site: Balkan Socks . 2008 . The Archives of Miriam Milgram . Kalinka Press . 2011-06-16 . 2019-09-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190913141450/http://www.miriammilgram.com/archives/sox.htm . dead .

Books

• Book: Özbel, Kenan . 1981 . Knitted stockings from Turkish villages . 1st . Türkiye İş Bankası Cultural Publications . Ankara . Ahmet E. . Uysal . Mary . Fletcher . Lesley . Tahtakılıç . Maggie E. . Quigley . 10914107 . (LibraryThing page.)
• Book: Gibson-Roberts, Priscilla . Photographs by Alexis Xenakis . 1995 . Ethnic Socks & Stockings: A Compendium of Eastern Design & Technique . 1st . Xrx Books . 978-0-9646391-0-2 .
• Book: Zilboorg, Anna . 2001 . Simply Socks: 45 Traditional Turkish Patterns to Knit . Lark Books . 978-1-887374-59-0 .
• Book: Harrell, Betsy . 1981 . Anatolian Knitting Designs: Sivas Stocking Patterns Collected in an Istanbul Shantytown . Redhouse Press . Istanbul . B0006EAWVM . 8931599 .