Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
5th–6th century
Medium
Wool, linen; plain weave, tapestry weave
Dimensions
Max. L. 5 3/8 in. (13.6 cm) Max. W. 1 15/16 in. (5 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George F. Baker, 1890
Accession Number
90.5.254
Art Historical Context
This delicate Textile Fragment, dating to the 5th–6th century offers a glimpse into the sophisticated textile traditions of the early medieval Near East or North Africa, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Department. Crafted from wool and linen, it the era's blend of everyday durability and artistic ambition, likely originating from a garment, furnishing, or ritual cloth in a region bridging Late Antiquity and emerging Islamic cultures. The fragment showcases two key weaving techniques: weave for its sturdy, foundational structure, and tapestry weave for vibrant, pictorial...