Kuchi Tribal Belt - 33 Inches - Vintage Afghani Sleeve Belt - Dance Belt

The bases for these belts are made from the decorative edges of Kuchi dress sleeves!  This piece is embellished with mirrors buttons, beadwork, some beautiful chain fringe and two bead medallions. While these belts can be worn as they are, care should be taken to not place too much stress on vintage fabrics. If you want to wear this belt for dance, we recommend adding it to a more sturdy base layer.

Kuchi means "nomad" in the Afghan Dari language. The livelihood and culture of the Kuchis have been all but destroyed by conflict, drought, and demographic shifts. Some 200,000 Kuchis are displaced in Afghanistan; an equal or larger number are refugees in Pakistan; and hundreds of thousands of others are eking out a precarious existence in Afghanistan. Only a small number of Kuchis still follow their traditional livelihood of nomadic herding.

Item No. TLA0120
Length: 33 inches, not including ties. 
Textile Width:  3 inches
Total Width:   About 5.25 inches (includes chain fringe)
Embellishments:  Mirror work, buttons, beadwork, gold metallic trim, medallions, chain fringe.
There are also a couple of coins on each end for good measure.
Fabric Color: Deep magenta / pink
Medallion Size:  About 2.25 inches
Additional Info: Lined with new black fabric.
Country of Origin: Afghanistan / Pakistan
Condition: Vintage textile with new assemblage

Please check photos carefully for condition. You will receive the exact piece(s) shown in the photos on this page. This is a USED piece that has previously been used as or adorned tribal clothing, accessories, household goods, animal trappings or other items. As a previously used tribal item it may have small flaws such as loose threads, missing beads, frayed edges, may be faded or worn, or have other small flaws.

A NOTE ON THE CONDITION OF TRIBAL ITEMS: Our tribal beadwork and textile items are used tribal pieces from faraway lands. As used pieces our items may be frayed, faded or otherwise reflect their prior lives as treasured tribal pieces. Please know that we strive to maintain the tribal allure of our items and therefore we do not clean or repair these pieces in any way. This not only maintains the old, tribal look of each piece that our belly dance customers seek, but also preserves the value of a piece that the cleaning process may diminish.

We do our best to describe any flaws that may be present, and we encourage you to read the full description and look at all photos closely to judge the condition of the item for yourself and know exactly what you are ordering. If you have questions about the condition of any item, please ask!