Jibbahs

The jibbah forms part of a long Islamic tradition of making heavy, quilted cotton armours, known as al-qutun (literally 'cottons'). These thick padded tunics were either worn on their own or under armour. In the case of the latter, they served as an additional layer of protection and prevented heat and friction from irritating the warrior's skin.

Normally this was worn by an Ansar, a Sufi Muslim warrior and follower of El Mahdi, in northern Sudan in the late 19th century. The split down the front enabled it to be worn both on horseback and on foot. The jibbahs form part of a collection of Sudanese militaria on display in the Castle Ballroom.