Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
6th century
Medium
Wool, linen; tapestry weave
Dimensions
Max. H. 4 7/16 in. (11.2 cm) Max. W. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George F. Baker, 1890
Accession Number
90.5.697
Art Historical Context
This delicate Textile Fragment, dating to the 6th, offers a glimpse into the sophisticated textile traditions of the late antique world, just before the rise of Islam. Crafted from wool and linen in a tapestry weave—a technique where colorful weft threads are woven over a linen warp to create a dense, pictorial surface—this small piece (measuring just 4 7/16 by 3 3/4 inches) likely originated in regions like Egypt or the Near East, areas pivotal to early Islamic artistic heritage. Such fragments were often parts of garments, furnishings, or ceremonial hangings, valued for their durability and ...