Fragment of a looped hanging

Inventory number: FT 137
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont

A head framed in flowers with two interlaced ribbons at the extremities. The upper and left borders have the same geometric motifs. The lower border is decorated with a foliated scroll; a column stands on the right.

Origin:

Egypt

Date:

3rd - 5th century

Material:

Linen and wool

Dimensions:

Warp: 40 cm, weft: 44 cm

Comparisons:

National Museum of Ireland, inv. 435-1888: face and twining border.
Musée de Cluny, inv. Cl. 22459: twining border.
Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz, inv. Ko 345 (no face).
WML, Liverpool, inv. 1973.3.81: twining border.
Decoration of the borders, inherited from Graeco-Roman mosaics, was frequently used for Egyptian textiles, and especially for looped hangings (cf. Jonas hanging - Louvre, inv. E 26820).

Provenance:

Collection Coptic textiles Fill-Trevisiol: donation

Location:

Musée royal de Mariemont

Pile weave on linen ground, both linen and woollen loops

I. Ground weave

Warp:

natural-coloured linen S: 20/cm

Weft:

natural-coloured linen S: 12 /cm

II. Pile areas

Special techniques:

weft loops: 5 picks between the loops; in pick with loops: 3 linen yarns/pick; loops: 2 yarns used together; wool loops: red, pink, yellow, green, different nuances of blue; linen loops

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