The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries
An unpublished catalogue of the Ashmolean’s collection of Islamic embroideries from Egyptologist Percy Newberry, by Ruth Barnes and Marianne Ellis.
Publications online: 1018 objects
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Textile fragment with elephant
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Literature notes
A pink and yellow elephant with brown outlines is placed beneath a band that includes a pink hexagon with yellow interlacing. There is additional interlacing in yellow and light blue, all with brown outlines.
The embroidered fragment is cut into a semicircular shape. The elephant and the interlacing scroll may be compared to one of the Indian block-printed fragments in the Newberry collection (1990.250), which has been radiocarbon dated to 895 +/- 75. This piece also has a similar radiocarbon date of 859 AD +/- 36, with the calibrated result ranging from 880 to 1020. Both textiles are likely to be of 10th century date. -
Details
- Associated place
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Near East (place of creation)
- Date
- 10th century (AD 901 - 1000)
- Material and technique
- linen, embroidered with coloured silk
- Dimensions
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20 x 9 cm max. (length x width)
along length/width 22 / 23 threads/cm (thread count)
ground fabric 0.05 cm (thread diameter)
additional fibre, embroidery 0.1 cm (thread diameter)
- Material index
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organic › animal › animal product › silk,
- Technique index
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assembled › woven › plain woven,woven › plain woven,
- Object type index
- No. of items
- 1
- Credit line
- Presented by Professor Percy Newberry, 1941.
- Accession no.
- EA1984.573
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Further reading
Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, cat. vol. iii, illus. vol. i
Location
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- currently in research collection
Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.
Publications online
-
The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries
A pink and yellow elephant with brown outlines is placed beneath a band that includes a pink hexagon with yellow interlacing. There is additional interlacing in yellow and light blue, all with brown outlines.
The embroidered fragment is cut into a semicircular shape. The elephant and the interlacing scroll may be compared to one of the Indian block-printed fragments in the Newberry collection (1990.250), which has been radiocarbon dated to 895 +/- 75. This piece also has a similar radiocarbon date of 859 AD +/- 36, with the calibrated result ranging from 880 to 1020. Both textiles are likely to be of 10th century date.
Notice
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