Montage of tunic decorations

Inventory number: FT 50
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont

Except for the tabula with a horseman, elegantly designed foliated scrolls, with fruit and leaves, dominate the decoration. Clearly, the amateur of curiosities is supposed not to care about the inverted orientation of the clavi.

Origin:

Egypt

Date:

4th - 6th century

Material:

Linen and wool

Dimensions:

Left clavus: warp: 4cm, weft: 37cm; right clavus: warp: 4cm, weft: 34cm; tabula
(1): warp: 13cm, weft: 13cm; tabula
(2): warp: 13cm, weft: 13cm; tabula
(3): warp: 10cm, weft: 9.5cm

Comparisons:

British Museum, inv. 21801: horseman.
RMAH, Brussels, inv. ACO.Tx. 0267: idem.
Musée des Antiquités, Rouen, inv. 2002.0.16: clavi.
Landesmuseum Württemberg, inv. GT 3815: clavus and tabula border.
RGZM, Mainz, inv. O.32168.

Provenance:

Collection Coptic textiles Fill-Trevisiol: donation

Location:

Musée royal de Mariemont

Inwoven tapestries from a linen tunic

I. No ground weave


II. Tapestry areas

Warp:

natural-coloured linen S

Weft:

purple wool Z: 78/cm; natural-coloured linen S: 65/cm

Weave:

extended tabby 2/3

Ribs per cm:

10

Special techniques:

slit tapestry, eccentric weft, vertical weft brocading, flying thread brocading for details

Dyes analysed:

weftthread: purple Z wool: madder, indigo/woad 10

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