Fragment of clavus and lower border of a tunic

Inventory number: FT 73
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont

Tapestry bands decorate the lower part of a woollen tunic. On the left, the upper part of the L-shaped band ends in a medallion. On the right, a long clavus fragment extends upwards. On a red ground, stylised figures and horsemen with raised arms line up between medallions at regular intervals.

Origin:

Egypt

Date:

5th - 8th century

Material:

Linen and wool

Dimensions:

Warp: 48.5 cm, weft: 45 cm

Comparisons:

Cf. FT 201.
Abegg-Stiftung, inv. 435 and 436.
Pushkin Museum, inv. 617.

Provenance:

Collection Coptic textiles Fill-Trevisiol: donation

Location:

Musée royal de Mariemont

Woollen tapestry, details in linen flying thread

I. Ground weave

Warp:

natural-coloured wool S: 11/cm

Weft:

natural-coloured wool S: 46/cm

II. Tapestry areas

Warp:

natural-coloured wool S: 11/cm

Weft:

red, different nuances of blue wool, pink, orange, green S: 46/cm; natural-coloured linen S: for details

Weave:

weft-faced tabby

Special techniques:

slit tapestry, eccentric weft, soumak to outline figures and inner-circles; vertical weft brocading in countered direction, with 2 S yarns; selvedge: three units of 3 yarns each; 2-2 countered twining with 4 loops of pink wool + fingerweaving (sewn over long vertical slit between ground weave and tapestry band)

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