Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
3rd–5th century
Medium
Wool; plain weave
Dimensions
H. 23 3/4 in. (60.3 cm) W. 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase by subscription, 1889
Accession Number
89.18.164
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Textile Fragment*, dating to the 3rd–5th century, offers a rare glimpse into the sophisticated textile traditions of the early Islamic world. Crafted from wool using a plain weave—a fundamental technique where warp and weft threads interlace in a simple over-under pattern—this fragment measures 23 3/4 by 16 1/4 inches (60.3 by 41.3 cm). Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through a subscription purchase in 188, it resides in the museum's Islamic Art department, the enduring legacy of pre-Islamic weaving practices in regions like Egypt or the Near East. Plain weave was p...