Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
4th–5th century
Medium
Wool, linen; tapestry weave
Dimensions
Max. H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm) Max. W. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George F. Baker, 1890
Accession Number
90.5.660
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Textile Fragment*, dating to the 4th–5th century, offers a glimpse into the sophisticated textile arts of the early medieval Islamic world. Crafted wool and linen in a weave—a technique where colorful weft yarns are woven discontinuously to create intricate patterns—this small square (just 3¼ inches on each side) is likely a surviving piece from a larger garment, curtain, or furnishing. Such fragments were common in regions like Egypt or the Near East, where weaving flourished amid cultural exchanges between Byzantine, Sassanian, and emerging Islamic influences. The use of tape...