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Emirati traditions

Al Talli Embroidery

Al Talli, also called Alseen, is a traditional handicraft made with six cotton threads around a silver thread, braided into colourful shapes with meanings drawn from life in the desert and at sea. Demand is highest before Eid and the summer wedding season.

Updated October 2026 · Facts checked 22 October 2026

Year on the UNESCO list
20221
Year on the UNESCO list

Al Talli Embroidery

At a glance

At a glance
Item Detail
Name in Arabic التلي
UNESCO list Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Year on the list 2022
Listed by United Arab Emirates

Source: UNESCO: Al Talli, traditional embroidery skills in the United Arab Emirates1

How it is learned

Talli takes time. Mothers teach their daughters, and schools, universities and heritage centres run courses and workshops. Festivals and competitions also promote it.1

A social craft

Women gather in homes and neighbourhoods to braid Talli, sharing knowledge along with folk tales and proverbs.1

Sources

  1. UNESCO: Al Talli, traditional embroidery skills in the United Arab Emirates
  2. UNESCO: United Arab Emirates, elements on the Intangible Cultural Heritage lists

Facts checked 22 October 2026. Prepared by Invest-Emirates.ae for general information.

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