Textile Fragment with Scorpion

Art Historical Context

This delicate textile fragment, titled *Textile Fragment with Scorpion*, to around the 9th century originates from the Islamic world. Measuring just 4½ by 6½ inches, it captures a striking scorpion motif, rendered with precision on a wool and linen ground. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Department, it entered the collection through the 2015 bequest of Carolyn Kane, offering a glimpse into the refined craftsmanship of early medieval Islamic textiles. Crafted using the tapestry weave technique, the piece interlaces colorful weft threads to form a dense, pictorial pattern wit...