Coptic Textile Fragment with Image of a Goddess

Unknown

late 3rd–4th century · Linen, wool; plain weave, weft-loop pile · Islamic Art

The use of gold in the depiction of the female head on this fragment may be an allusion to the moon, or to moonlight. The crescent-shaped ornament in the woman’s hair identifies the image as a personification of Luna, the moon, or Diana, goddess of hunting and the chase. In classical mythology, Diana also presides over childbirth and protects the young. Such images were widely used on textiles, wall paintings, and mosaics throughout the Late Antique world. While large textile fragments like this one were discovered as burial wrappings, they probably originally belonged in a domestic setting and their exact use remains uncertain.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 3rd–4th century

Medium

Linen, wool; plain weave, weft-loop pile

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Gift of Helen Miller Gould, 1910