Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
6th century
Medium
Wool
Dimensions
Max. H. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 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
90.5.923
Art Historical Context
This delicate wool textile fragment, dating to the 6th, offers a tantalizing glimpse into the world early textile production in the regions that would shape Islamic art. Measuring just 3 3/4 inches (9.5 cm) square at its maximum, this tiny survivor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art department highlights the fragility and rarity of ancient fabrics. Donated in 1890 by philanthropist George F. Baker it exemplifies how 19th-century collectors preserved fragments that might otherwise have vanished. Wool, a durable and versatile medium prized in antiquity, was woven into garments, f...