Textile Fragment with Addorsed Parrots and Griffins

Unknown

early 13th century · Silk; lampas · Islamic Art

This fragmentary textile displays a framework of undulating bands filled with a herringbone pattern, creating an overall ogival design. Each compartment encloses pairs of addorsed parrots and griffins, flanking a highly stylized palmette tree. Such pairings of animals and trees appear in earlier and contemporary Seljuq textiles from Iran. The prevalence of Seljuq-inspired iconography suggests manufacture in Seljuq, Iran. However, since fragments from a silk textile bearing identical decoration were found in Egypt, an Ayyubid attribution is more likely.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 13th century

Medium

Silk; lampas

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1908