Fragment of woollen tunic clavus

Inventory number: FT 186
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont

A band of chevrons frames two nude full-face figures in a rectangle. Around this is a wide border with interlacing lozenges and highlighted small crosses and ovoid motifs . The extremity of the band has an arcade design. The treatment of the figures is schematic: there is no neck and each limb is a simple vertical line with three finger or toes, with bracelets and anklets (dancers?).

Origin:

Egypt

Date:

6th - 9th century

Material:

Linen and wool

Dimensions:

Warp: 16.5 cm, weft: 20.5 cm

Comparisons:

Coll. Choron (cat. The rich Life and the Dance, UIP 2015), inv. B30.
Deutsches Textilmuseum, inv. 12603.

Provenance:

Collection Coptic textiles Fill-Trevisiol: donation

Location:

Musée royal de Mariemont

Woollen tapestry decorated in flying thread

I. No ground weave


II. Tapestry areas

Warp:

natural-coloured/ochre wool S: 10/cm

Weft:

purple wool S: partly woven with 2 yarns/pick: +/- 20/cm, where single used: +/- 40/cm; brown, red, green, black and ochre wool S: 44-50/cm; natural-coloured linen S

Weave:

weft-faced tabby

Special techniques:

slit tapestry, vertical weft brocading, flying thread brocading in wool and linen

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