Tapestry-woven Yoke from a Tunic
Unknown Artist
800–1200?
Medium
camelid fiber and cotton, tapestry weave
Dimensions
64.8 × 102.8 cm · mounted: 69.2 × 108 cm
Classification
Textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1925.667
About this artwork
This fragment comes from the upper area of a tunic, with thick embroidery defining remnants of the neck opening. In the rectangular area on the chest are two similar long-tailed creatures rendered in a highly geometric style. Each is rotated 90 degrees, so their tails are parallel to the bottom edge. The cloven hooves on their upper legs may identify the creatures as deer or Andean camelids, such as llamas or alpacas.