Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

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An unpublished catalogue of the Ashmolean’s collection of Islamic embroideries from Egyptologist Percy Newberry, by Ruth Barnes and Marianne Ellis.

The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries by Ruth Barnes and Marianne Ellis

Publications online: 1018 objects

Reference URL

Actions

Send e-mail

Contact us about this object

Send e-mail

Send to a friend

Textile fragment with medallions and kufic inscription

  • Literature notes

    Two rows of linked hexagon-shaped medallions, each containing an ornamental kufic inscription. The medallions are defined by an outline of blue silk stitches, while the background is filled with brown stitches. The kufic script is defined by the ground fabric left unembroidered.

    The embroidery was made as a band, possibly with a selvedge. The edges are oversewn with embroidery thread. The letters of the inscription are readable, but do not combine to give a meaning. They are paired as mirror images to create a pattern.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Africa Egypt (find spot)
    AfricaEgyptCairoCairo Fustat (possible find spot)
    Near East (place of creation)
    Date
    10th - 15th century AD
    Material and technique
    linen, embroidered with dark-brown and dark-blue silk
    Dimensions
    22.3 x 3.9 cm max. (length x width)
    along length/width 20 / 20 threads/cm (thread count)
    ground fabric 0.05 cm (thread diameter)
    additional fibre, embroidery 0.07 cm (thread diameter)
    Material index
    organicvegetalfibreflax linen,
    Technique index
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by Professor Percy Newberry, 1941.
    Accession no.
    EA1984.32
  • Further reading

    Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, cat. vol. ii, illus. vol. i

Glossary

kufic

  • kufic

    A term denoting various styles of angular Arabic script. Emerged in the early centuries of Islam, kufic soon became the preferred hand to copy holy texts.

Location

    • 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 by Ruth Barnes and Marianne Ellis

    The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries

    Two rows of linked hexagon-shaped medallions, each containing an ornamental kufic inscription. The medallions are defined by an outline of blue silk stitches, while the background is filled with brown stitches. The kufic script is defined by the ground fabric left unembroidered.

    The embroidery was made as a band, possibly with a selvedge. The edges are oversewn with embroidery thread. The letters of the inscription are readable, but do not combine to give a meaning. They are paired as mirror images to create a pattern.
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum