Page 50 - Arabian Studies (II)

40 Arabian Studies II
On (he coastal region few Harasls are found permanently engaged
in fishing. They prefer to sell their catch - mostly dried fish — in the
market-places in ‘Uman. Among the dried fish are two kinds: haillah,
used as provision, and 'omah, sardines, which are animal fodder.
The breeding of camels and goats form the basis of their economy.
As it is common among the bedouin, the first activity confined is to
men; for the latter women are responsible. The average number of a
man's herd is between 1 -50 camels and 100-150 goats.
The camel breed is of WahibTyah stock. The milking camel is
called hebar. As saddles the cushioned saddle-type (mahwl) is used,
which we found widely distributed among South Arabian bedouin.
Into the man's sphere of activity falls herding, milking, plucking
the camel’s hair (simmer), spinning (khalik) and slaughtering. They
make use of the qa’alu, a plaited bowl for milking.
The Harasls breed the following races of goats: lebenit (white),
borut (black), ‘afarut (reddish-brown) and terkaz (piebald).
For milking the goats they put heated stones into the milking-
bowl to stimulate the animal to yield milk more easily into the
udder. From the milk (skhof), butter (*emakb), curdled milk ('atrid)
and cheese (qoti) arc produced. Shearing (sor), spinning (ghazal) and
weaving ('emsalet) also come into the woman’s domain. The weaving
is limited to the manufacture of girths for camel saddles. Moreover,
working and plaiting of leather belong typically to women's work.
Material Culture. One of the characteristics of Harasls material
culture is the absence of the tent. They construct a kind of
wind-screen made of leather (khaimeh), but mostly they camp under
trees or bushes.
Dress. Men wear a gown (kandoreh), the ‘uzar, a piece of leather
cord (edileh). To the women’s dress belong a garment (kandoreh),
trousers (sirwal), a head-dress (kemkem, sheleh) and a veil (berq).
Only married women paint their faces. They distinguish two kinds
of cosmetics: wars, a black and red cosmetic, and harb, a green paint.
The bride has her face painted yellow with saffron. Girls are tattooed
on the chin at the age of about ten years (wisham).
Weapons. Men are equipped with a rifle (sam'a, mendoq), a curved
dagger (khanjar) and with a knife (skin).
! Finally, may I repeat that the data presented are to be regarded as
!
; but a small contribution to the ethnography of Southern Arabia,
incomplete as they are and their reliability as yet unproved by full
field-research.