Fragment of a woollen tunic with animals on the clavi

Inventory number: FT 133
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont
Photo Michel Lechien, Musée royal de Mariemont

On a pale brown ground, are two pale bands decorated with violet foliated acanthus scrolls that frame all sorts of four-legged animals, including a unicorn. All are running in the same direction, but this changes in function of the neck opening, at the upper extremity of the left hand band (cf. FT 131).

Origin:

Egypt

Date:

5th - 6th century

Material:

Wool

Dimensions:

Warp: 51 cm, weft: 78 cm

Comparisons:

Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, inv. 4627.
Abegg-Stiftung, inv. 4249a.
Coloured tunics such as these had often been worn in Egypt since the Roman period, mainly by women and children.

Provenance:

Collection Coptic textiles Fill-Trevisiol: donation

Location:

Musée royal de Mariemont

Woollen tapestry, mixing red and blue yarn to achieve violet.

I. Ground weave

Warp:

brown wool S: 11-12/cm

Weft:

brown wool S: 26/cm

Weave:

weft-faced tabby

II. Tapestry areas

Warp:

brown wool S: 11-12/cm

Weft:

natural-coloured wool and purple wool (fleece dyed composed of red and blue) wool S: 70-85/cm

Weave:

weft-faced tabby

Special techniques:

slit tapestry, eccentric weft; selvedge: 3 units of 3 warp yarns each selvedge neck opening: 2 units of 2 warp yarns each + reinforced by extra weft around the warp units; finishing borders on both sides: twined cord of warp yarns

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