Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
5th century
Medium
Wool, linen; plain weave, tapestry weave
Dimensions
H. 13 3/4 in. (35 cm) W. 13/16 in. (2 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George F. Baker, 1890
Accession Number
90.5.226
Art Historical Context
This delicate textile fragment, dating to the 5th century, offers glimpse into the sophisticated weaving of the early medieval Near East or Egypt, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Islamic Art. Measuring just 13¾ inches high and a slender 13/16 inch wide, it survives as a narrow strip, likely part of a larger garment, furnishing, or ritual object. Gifted to the Museum in 1890 by F. Baker, it exemplifies the fragility and rarity of ancient textiles, which rarely endure due to their organic materials. Crafted from wool and linen using plain weave for the ground and tap...