Work of replacing embroidered pieces surrounding Al-Hajar Al-Aswad, and Rukn Al-Yemani, complete

The Agency for the Affairs of the King Abdulaziz Complex for Manufacturing the Kaaba Kiswa has finished replacing the embroidered pieces surrounding Al-Hajar Al-Aswad (the Black Stone), and Rukn Al-Yemani (the Yemeni Corner). The agency is an offshoot of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques.

The work of replacing embroidered pieces with golden reed threads was carried out by six staffers from among the most talented and skilled tailors at the complex, and it was completed within 20 days, at a rate of ten days for each work of the two, taking into account of the growing number of the pilgrims performing Umrah and doing it without disturbing those greeting and kissing the Black Stone, and touching the Rukn Al-Yemani.

Eng. Amjad Al-Hazmi, deputy head of the King Abdulaziz Complex for Manufacturing the Kaaba Kiswa or Kiswa factory, said that the embroidery works around the Black Stone and the Rukn Al-Yemani have been completed in line with the highest quality standards and with the latest techniques used in automatic embroidery by Tajima machine.

It is noteworthy that a few years ago a new line of embroidery was added to the Kiswa for the first time to embellish its Rukn Al-Yemani. The Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine, has four corners, with its northern corner known as the “Iraqi corner,” the western as the “Levantine corner,” the southern as the “Yemeni corner,” and its Black Stone is placed in the eastern corner of the structure.

The Kiswa is made of pure silk with gold threads at a cost of more than SR22 million. It is manufactured in a special factory in the Umm Jood neighborhood in Makkah which is manned by 240 technicians, weavers, and administrators. The Kiswa is 95 centimeters wide and nine meters high. It is made of 47 pieces which are joined together to cover all the corners of the Kaaba.