Tiraz Fragment

Unknown

10th century · Linen, gold leaf, black ink; plain weave, block printed · Islamic Art

This linen fabric is inscribed with a repeating inscription, al-Mulk L’illah, “Sovereignty is Allah’s”, block printed in a black outline, which was then gilded. The kufic script employed is a simple geometric one, except for the floriated flourish in the last letter of al-Mulk. The simple fabric and technique employed, as well as the lack of a name implies that this fabric was produced for general sale in a market. Many such fabrics were eventually found in a burial context, as their inscriptions were believed to convey baraka (blessing) through the sustained contact between the deceased and the textile.

Artist

Unknown

Date

10th century

Medium

Linen, gold leaf, black ink; plain weave, block printed

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1948