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).
Publications online: 66 objects
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Textile fragment with bands of inverted hooks, flowers, and triangles
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Literature notes
The patterns on this fragment are almost the same as some worked on sampler No. 24 [EA1984.490]. The most noticeable difference is that eight-pointed stars alternate with S-shapes on this embroidery and with Zs on the sampler. It is interesting to see how the decoration has been built up, presumably from a sampler like No.24, by selecting two narrow bands to lie on either side of the wider one and then repeating the wide one again for emphasis. The narrow bands balance each other with S-shapes on one and Z-shapes on the other. This predilection for symmetry is one of the hallmarks of Mamluk embroidery. -
Details
- Associated place
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Near East (place of creation)
- Material and technique
- linen, embroidered with blue cotton
- Dimensions
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31 x 14.5 cm max. (length x width)
along length/width 18 / 18 threads/cm (thread count)
ground fabric 0.05 cm (thread diameter)
additional fibre, embroidery 0.06 cm (thread diameter)
- Material index
- 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.
- EA1984.154
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Further reading
Ellis, Marianne, Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, in association with Greenville: Curious Works Press, 2001), no. 27 on p. 43, illus. p. 43
Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, cat. vol. ii, 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
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Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt
The patterns on this fragment are almost the same as some worked on sampler No. 24 [EA1984.490]. The most noticeable difference is that eight-pointed stars alternate with S-shapes on this embroidery and with Zs on the sampler. It is interesting to see how the decoration has been built up, presumably from a sampler like No.24, by selecting two narrow bands to lie on either side of the wider one and then repeating the wide one again for emphasis. The narrow bands balance each other with S-shapes on one and Z-shapes on the other. This predilection for symmetry is one of the hallmarks of Mamluk embroidery. -
The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries
Three bands are grouped together, and a fourth one runs parallel. The latter is identical to the central band of the group of three. It contains inverted hook motifs, eight-petalled flowers, and small triangles. The two bands on either side of the central one are narrow and contain small darts and s-shapes. The embroidery provides the background.
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.
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