The central square, surrounded by a dotted border, frames a three-quarter bust of a woman wearing a necklace with a ‘bulla’. The external border, whose upper part is missing, has medallions with large rosettes or baskets of fruit. Details of the face have been reconstituted in modern times.
Origin:
Egypt
Date:
5th - 8th century
Material:
Linen and wool
Dimensions:
Warp: 53 cm, weft: 41 cm
Comparisons:
Cf. FT 4.
Brooklyn Museum, inv. 41.891: relief of the goddess Gaia : same necklace.
The figure’s necklace is identical to the symbol of fertility and fecundity that the Earth goddess is wearing on a bas-relief from Herakleopolis Magna (5th century).
Provenance:
Collection Coptic textiles Fill-Trevisiol: donation
Location:
Musée royal de Mariemont
Inwoven linen and woollen tapestry
I. Ground weave
Warp:
natural-coloured linen S: 16/cm
Weft:
natural-coloured linen S: 8/cm
Weave:
warp-faced tabby
II. Tapestry areas
Warp:
linen S
Weft:
brown, red, orange, blue, green and ochre wool S: +/- 36/cm; natural-coloured linen S: 30/cm
Weave:
extended tabby: irregular units of 2 and 3 warp yarns
Ribs per cm:
6
Sewing Yarn:
linen 2S
Special techniques:
slit tapestry, eccentric weft, flying thread brocading for details, vertical weft brocading with linen S2Z; false hatching: paired weft: one brown wool and 1 linen yarn/pick