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Native Threads is a streetwear collective fuelled by stories of heritage from across the Middle East.

22/08/2025

The entrance to the Great Mosque of Nablus (Jama'a al-Kebir), Palestine 🇵🇸 c. 1862. One of the oldest and most important religious sites in the city. The gateway, often called “Saracenic” by European visitors at the time, blends Islamic architecture with older stonework, hinting at the layered history of the site.

The mosque was originally a Byzantine church built during the 4th century, likely dedicated to Saint John. After the Muslim conquest of the Levant in the 7th century, the building was converted into a mosque. Over the centuries, it was damaged by earthquakes and wars but repeatedly rebuilt by various Islamic rulers, including the Ayyubids and Mamluks.

21/08/2025

Men perform a sword dance at a wedding c. 1989 // likely somewhere in the Arabian Peninsula or Levant. Sword dances like this one - often called ardah or razha, depending on the region - have deep roots in Bedouin and Arab tribal culture. They were once part of war rituals, used to build courage before battle, but over time they became a central part of festivals, weddings, and other gatherings.

The men form a circle, dressed in robes and keffiyehs, clapping and chanting while two performers in the center move with curved swords.

20/08/2025

The Prince of Wales—the future King Edward VII - with his travel group sitting among the giant columns of the Hypostyle Hall in the Temple of Amun at Karnak, near Luxor, Egypt 🇪🇬 c. 1862 At just 20 years old, the Prince was on a grand tour of the Middle East, sent by Queen Victoria to learn about the world, meet foreign rulers, and, in part, keep him out of trouble back home.

The Hypostyle Hall, where they’re seated, is one of the most famous parts of ancient Karnak. It was built around 3,200 years ago by pharaohs Seti I and Ramesses II, and has 134 towering columns carved with hieroglyphs and scenes honoring the gods. Each column is massive - some over 20 meters tall - and was meant to show the power and glory of the pharaoh and the gods they worshipped.

At the time this photo was taken, ancient Egyptian ruins were becoming popular with European visitors, especially royalty and scholars. This picture is part of that era when Egypt’s ancient past became a stage for modern empire, science, and adventure. It's a snapshot of two very different worlds - British royalty exploring a site that once belonged to one of the most powerful civilizations on Earth.

19/08/2025

Bedouin woman from one of the villages near Beersheba, in the southern part of Palestine 🇵🇸 c. 1920s. She carries a young child in her arms and wears traditional Bedouin clothing, including layers of fabric, coin jewelry, and a woven basket on her head - likely used for carrying food or goods. Her dress isn’t just for decoration; every piece, from the coins to the bracelets, had meaning - some passed down through family, some meant to show wealth, and some used as savings in case of emergency.

At the time this photo was taken, Beersheba (Bir al-Sabi‘ in Arabic) was a growing town in the Negev desert. It was once an Ottoman administrative center, and after World War I, it became part of British Mandate Palestine. The Bedouin in this region lived mostly in rural areas, raising livestock and moving between seasonal camps. But by the 1920s, many had started settling in permanent villages, mixing their old nomadic ways with a more settled lifestyle.

18/08/2025

Madrasah of Muhammad Amin Tupchiboshi in Bukhara, a city in modern-day Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 c. 1912. The madrasah was once part of the rich Islamic learning tradition in Central Asia. Built during the late 19th or early 20th century, it reflected the strong influence of Persian and Timurid architecture with its colorful tilework, pointed archway, and finely patterned brick minaret.

The building was named after Muhammad Amin Tupchiboshi, a local official in the Emirate of Bukhara. “Tupchiboshi” was a title that meant commander of artillery - so he was likely a military man turned patron of education. Madrasahs like this one were schools where students studied religion, law, math, and more.

Sadly, this madrasah no longer stands today 0 it was demolished sometime in the Soviet period, when many religious and historic buildings in Central Asia were destroyed or neglected. This rare color photo, taken using early color photography techniques, is one of the few visual records left of a once-proud center of learning in Bukhara’s old city.

17/08/2025

Two of Cairo’s most important mosques: the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in the foreground and the Mosque of Sultan Hassan in the background 🇪🇬 c.1862

The Mosque of Muhammad Ali, also called the Alabaster Mosque, was built between 1830 and 1848 by Muhammad Ali Pasha, the Ottoman governor who’s seen as the founder of modern Egypt. He built it on top of the Citadel as a symbol of his rule and his break from the old Mamluk elite. Its large domes and tall minarets follow Ottoman Turkish style, inspired by mosques in Istanbul.

In the background is the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, built in the mid-1300s during the Mamluk period. It was one of the biggest and most expensive mosques ever built in medieval Cairo. Sultan Hassan planned it to include a school for each of the four Islamic legal schools. Its towering walls, carved stone, and huge entrance make it one of the finest examples of Mamluk architecture.

16/08/2025

Courtyard of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo, Egypt 🇪🇬 c. 1862. In the center is the large marble fountain used for wudu. Its roof is beautifully decorated with carved wood and supported by elegant columns.

Behind the fountain, there is the tall clock tower, which was a gift from France in the 1800s. The mosque itself sits on top of the Citadel and was built in the early 1800s by Muhammad Ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt.

15/08/2025

Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount) in Jerusalem c. 1918 showing two important buildings on the Mount. In the front is the small building known as the Dome of the Spirits or Solomon’s Dome. Behind it stands the larger, more famous Dome of the Rock.

The Dome of the Rock was built over 1,300 years ago and is one of the oldest Islamic landmarks in the world. It's believed to be the spot where the Prophet Muhammad began his night journey to the heavens.

14/08/2025

A street in in Cairo 🇪🇬 c. 1862. It shows a quiet street lined with old buildings and wooden balconies called mashrabiya. These balconies helped keep homes cool and gave people privacy. The photo gives us a glimpse of what Cairo looked like over 150 years ago, before modern changes took over.

13/08/2025

This photograph, taken in May 1862 near Beirut 🇱🇧 , depicts a group of Bashi-Bazouks - irregular soldiers who served in the Ottoman army. Known for their distinct dress and lack of formal military training, Bashi-Bazouks were often recruited from various ethnic and tribal groups across the empire and deployed for auxiliary roles, including frontier defense, es**rt duties, and sometimes internal suppression.

Captured during a period of intense European interest in the Ottoman East, this image blends ethnographic curiosity with military documentation. The men’s varied attire - fezzes, turbans, vests, and weapons - reflects the diversity and informality of the Bashi-Bazouk corps. Set against a rocky, terraced landscape typical of Mount Lebanon, the photo offers a glimpse into the complex fabric of 19th-century Ottoman society, where local fighters stood at the intersection of imperial power and regional identity.

12/08/2025

Portrait of an Egyptian Man in front of Medinet Habu temple, Thebes 🇪🇬 c. 1862

Medinet Habu, built by Pharaoh Ramesses III in the 12th century BCE, was both a mortuary temple and a fortified complex, famed for its massive pylons, detailed reliefs, and well-preserved inscriptions.

The photograph reflects the early period of archaeological exploration and documentation in Egypt, when European travellers and scholars sought to capture the grandeur of pharaonic monuments alongside the people who lived among them.

11/08/2025

La Porte Française, Tunis 🇹🇳 c. 1880s // also known as Bab el Bhar ("Sea Gate"), is a historic city gate located in the heart of Tunis, Tunisia. Originally constructed during the Hafsid era, the gate once marked the boundary between the ancient medina and the expanding European-style city during the colonial period. When the French occupied Tunisia in the late 19th century, the gate became known as "La Porte Française," symbolizing the meeting point between traditional Tunisian culture and the modern, colonial city.

Architecturally, the gate features a large central arch with decorative stonework and inscriptions, blending Islamic and European design elements. Today, it no longer functions as a defensive structure but stands as a prominent urban landmark, drawing locals and tourists alike. Bab el Bhar represents the layered history of Tunis, where centuries of Arab, Berber, Ottoman, and French influences converge in a single architectural symbol.

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Native Threads is a streetwear collective fueled by stories of heritage from across the East. It embodies a love for Eastern identity that is bold, provocative, and unapologetic.