Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
9th–10th century
Medium
Wool, linen; tapestry weave
Dimensions
L. 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm) W. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of David del Gaizo, 2008
Accession Number
2008.322.2
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Textile Fragment, dating to the 9th–10th, hails from the Islamic world during the height of the Abbasid Calate, a golden age of artistic innovation. Crafted from wool and linen a tapestry weave, it measures just 12¾ by 9½ inches, yet speaks volumes about the era's mastery of textile arts. Such fragments often survive from larger garments, furnishings, or ceremonial objects, traded along vibrant Silk Road routes and prized across cultures for their durability and beauty. The tapestry weave technique is particularly noteworthy: weavers created discontinuous wefts, allowing intric...