Fragment of a linen tunic

Inventory number: FT 136
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont

Two fine brocaded strips with a geometric design decorate the neckline (in red) and the hem (dark blue). Appliquéd tapestry clavi and orbiculi with a red ground have delicate motifs of stylised plants. In late Antiquity, linen cloth and/or tapestry ornaments were frequently recuperated from other textiles or separately woven to make or decorate a new tunic, especially for children.

Origin:

Egypt

Date:

7th - 9th century

Material:

Linen and wool

Dimensions:

Height of finished tunic: 54 cm; distance shoulder line to tuck: 27.5 cm; tuck: 1.5cm; distance hem to tuck: 27.5 cm; width of front part: 48 cm; width of sleeve: +/- 18 cm; applied band on hem: width 2 cm; orbiculi: +/- 6 cm; clavi: width: 2.2 cm, length: 64 cm; neck opening: 42 cm; distance between clavi: 18 cm

Comparisons:

Staatliche Museen zu Berlin inv. 9028: blue-striped cloth.

Provenance:

Collection Coptic textiles Fill-Trevisiol: donation

Location:

Musée royal de Mariemont

Separately-woven linen and woollen tapestry

I. Ground weave

Warp:

natural-coloured linen S: 11/cm

Weft:

natural-coloured linen S: 11/cm

Weave:

tabby

Other features:

blue stripes on both sides of the neck opening woven in blue dyed linen

II. Tapestry areas

1) Applied orbiculi
2) Clavi
3) Neck opening (cut out and finished with a trimming in supplementary weft brocading)

Warp:

1) natural-coloured linen S2Z: 13/cm
2) natural-coloured linen, paired S: 10/cm
3) red wool S2Z

Weft:

1) red wool S: 54/cm; natural-coloured linen S
2) red wool S: 55/cm; natural-coloured linen S
3) paired red wool S Brocading: paired natural-coloured linen S

Weave:

1-2) weft-faced tabby

Sewing Yarn:

1) S2Z linen

Special techniques:

1-2) slit tapestry

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