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Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt

A selection of 10th to 16th century embroideries from the Newberry collection at the Ashmolean by Marianne Ellis (published Oxford, 2001).

Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt by Marianne Ellis

Publications online: 66 objects

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Textile fragment with thuluth inscription

  • Literature notes

    This is the end section of a long embroidered diagonal band on a linen ground. It bears the phrase wa’l-‘izz wa‘ l-baqã, “glory and eternity [to the owner]" repeated along its entire length. Although much of the embroidery silk has perished, enough remains to show us the decorative qualities of thuluth script, which was fashionable for ornamental inscriptions in the Mamluk period and often seen on other media. Thuluth is a more formal and elongated version of naskhi script. On this band the bold lettering with characteristic tall verticals and graceful curves has created an impressive design. The couching is similar to that worked on Nos.45-47 [EA1984.76, EA1984.63, EA1993.99]. The choice of phrase and script suggests that this example too dates from the late 13th century.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Africa Egypt (find spot)
    AfricaEgyptCairoCairo Fustat (possible find spot)
    Near East (place of creation)
    Date
    late 13th century
    Mamluk Period (1250 - 1517)
    Material and technique
    linen, embroidered with red silk
    Dimensions
    57 x 7 cm max. (length x width)
    along length/width 22 / 26 threads/cm (thread count)
    ground fabric 0.04 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.
    EA1984.105
  • Further reading

    Ellis, Marianne, Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, in association with Greenville: Curious Works Press, 2001), no. 48 on p. 69, pp. 8 & 70, illus. p. 69

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

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

  • Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt by Marianne Ellis

    Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt

    This is the end section of a long embroidered diagonal band on a linen ground. It bears the phrase wa’l-‘izz wa‘ l-baqã, “glory and eternity [to the owner]" repeated along its entire length. Although much of the embroidery silk has perished, enough remains to show us the decorative qualities of thuluth script, which was fashionable for ornamental inscriptions in the Mamluk period and often seen on other media. Thuluth is a more formal and elongated version of naskhi script. On this band the bold lettering with characteristic tall verticals and graceful curves has created an impressive design. The couching is similar to that worked on Nos.45-47 [EA1984.76, EA1984.63, EA1993.99]. The choice of phrase and script suggests that this example too dates from the late 13th century.
  • The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries by Ruth Barnes and Marianne Ellis

    The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries

    A red inscription fills the entire fragment.

    The fragment is similar to EA1984.54 to EA1984.57, and EA1984.87.
Notice

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