Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
4th–5th century
Medium
Wool, linen; plain weave, tapestry weave
Dimensions
Max. H. 6 5/16 in. (16 cm) Max. W. 5 5/16 in. (13.5 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George F. Baker, 1890
Accession Number
90.5.452
Art Historical Context
This delicate textile fragment, dating to the 4th–5th century, offers a glimpse into the sophisticated weaving traditions of the Late Antique world. Crafted from wool and linen using plain weave for the ground and tapestry weave for decorative elements, it measures just 6 5/16 by 5 5/16 inches (16 by 13.5 cm). Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Islamic Art, it was generously gifted by George F. Baker in1890. Such small survivors from antiquity highlight how everyday fabrics—likely from garments, furnishings, or ritual objects—endured through the sands of time. The dual w...