Mantle
Unknown Artist
4th–6th century
Medium
Wool
Dimensions
H. 9 15/16 in. 25.3 cm) W. 38 3/16 in. (97 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Maurice Nahman, 1912
Accession Number
12.185.1
Art Historical Context
This exquisite wool mantle, crafted by an unknown artist between the 4th and 6th centuries, offers a glimpse into the textile artistry of Late Antiquity. Measuring just under 10 inches high but an impressive 38 inches wide, it likely served as a shawl, cloak, or ceremonial garment, the body in the soft durability of wool—a practical yet luxurious fiber prized in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art department, this piece reflects the cultural continuum from pre-Islamic societies to the early Islamic era, where textiles were not o...