The Bibi Khanum garment featured in the exhibition: what secrets does it conceal?

A garment carried by fifteen attendants. A headdress adorned with precious stones. The red color symbolizing state power. This is the court attire of the Timurid queen Bibi Khanum (Saraymulk Khanum). Today, this historical image has been reconstructed in the exhibition of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, revealing the hidden meanings of medieval court culture.

Saraymulk Khanum held an exceptionally high status in the Timurid state. Every element of her attire from the choice of fabric to the placement of decorative details expressed a woman’s political authority and spiritual prestige. The Bibi Khanum costume stands out for its multilayered structure, with each layer embodying a distinct meaning and function. First, the white silk inner dress symbolized purity and noble lineage and, as the layer closest to the body, served a function of spiritual protection. Worn over it was a long, colored dress known as a “pirokhan,” which signified the court lady’s dignity and status; its vegetal motifs were perceived as symbols of life, prosperity, and maturity.

The most striking element of Bibi Khanum’s attire is the outer robe sewn from gold-brocaded fabric. The patterns on this robe were not merely decorative but carried didactic meanings in the medieval worldview, symbolizing protection, power, and dynastic continuity. The silk shawls and draped fabrics worn over the shoulders simultaneously conveyed elegance, ceremony, and elevated rank.

Her headdress deserves particular attention. Bibi Khanum’s tall, cylindrical headpiece was adorned with pearls, rubies, and turquoise stones and was regarded as the most explicit symbol of the “Great Queen” status in the Timurid realm. Such a headdress could only be worn by women of the highest Chinggisid lineage who possessed political influence within the state. The silk scarves wrapped around the headdress and the delicate layers of fabric flowing down the back further enhanced its grace.

Doctor of Technical Sciences, international fashion expert, and Professor Kholida Kamilova worked on the reconstruction of the costumes of Amir Timur and Bibi Khanum for the exhibition of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan.

She emphasized that the work was based on miniatures, later artistic depictions, and written sources left by the Spanish traveler Ruy González de Clavijo:

“For the exhibition of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, we created the royal garments of Amir Timur and Bibi Khanum. We relied on precisely substantiated scholarly sources. It was essential to understand the meanings of the patterns on Amir Timur’s robe, belt, and garments. Taking this into account, we worked on the costumes together with art historians and scholars. According to Clavijo, Bibi Khanum’s headdress was adorned with precious and colorful stones, and due to the weight of her garment, fifteen girls assisted her from behind. Even after the Center opens, we will continue to present many such costumes of Timurid queens on a permanent basis. Our civilization is great, and the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan serving as a platform to present this to the wider public and the global community brings us great satisfaction.”

The fabrics used in Bibi Khanum’s attire were also rare textiles characteristic of the elite. Silk, velvet, and kamka were selected as the primary materials. Kamka is a luxurious fabric woven with gold thread and, in the medieval period, was used exclusively for rulers and members of the court. Each of these textiles testifies to the high level of economic development, industry, and craftsmanship of the era.

The stones and ornaments on the costume also carried profound symbolic significance. Pearls symbolized purity and noble lineage, rubies represented power and fortitude, and turquoise signified protection from the evil eye. The pearl ornament on Bibi Khanum’s chest, the ruby on her forehead, and the turquoise on her shoulder drew attention and pointed to her status as distinctly superior to other women.

The red color forms the central ideological axis of Bibi Khanum’s attire. In Eastern civilization, red symbolizes state power, ceremony, strong will, and victory. Therefore, sources note that Bibi Khanum predominantly wore garments with red and gold-brocaded elements during official ceremonies and diplomatic receptions.

Today, the reconstruction of the Bibi Khanum image in the Center’s exhibition has been carried out on the basis of scholarly sources, miniatures from the “Zafarnama,” ethnographic analyses, and studies in color symbolism. The reconstructed costume displayed in the exhibition revives not only feminine adornment but also the spirit of Timurid court culture. Her attire is as valuable as a historical document, with each layer expressing dynastic power, cultural heritage, and the unique personality of Bibi Khanum.

Thus, the Bibi Khanum garment is not merely clothing, but a vivid, powerful, and spiritually rich historical legacy an ornament of the Timurid era, a supreme example of court aesthetics, and a foundational element of Uzbek national dress culture, holding an indelible place in the cultural heritage of our land.