Textile Fragment

Unknown

4th–7th century · Wool, linen; plain weave, tapestry weave · Islamic Art

Vibrantly colored flowers associated with abundance and prosperity, often accompanied by personifications of the earth and the seasons, are frequently depicted on late Roman and early Byzantine textiles, including clothing and domestic textiles. In this fragment, flowering trees, a blossoming shrub, and a basket of flowers fill the spaces between a series of columns; each capital is decorated with a cross and each base with an ivy leaf. A partial figure is preserved at the far right, and a wavecrest forms the lower border. The rounded forms and combination of monochrome figures with brightly colored decorative elements are characteristic of textiles dating from the sixth and seventh centuries.

Artist

Unknown

Date

4th–7th century

Medium

Wool, linen; plain weave, tapestry weave

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Purchase by subscription, 1889