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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Tab from a banner with circles containing a diamond-shape
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Literature notes
The type of appliqué or applied work on this tab is sometimes called ‘onlay’ patchwork. The technique has been practiced in Cairo for hundreds of years, especially for tents and hangings, and work continues to this day in the street of the tentmakers near Bab al-Zuwayla. The top layer of fabric is like a frame, with half and quarter circle shapes cut from one piece of fabric and stitched to the backing. Two circles enclosing diamond shapes were then applied individually to the background fabric and small Z shapes and central diamonds added to complete the design. The diamond shapes are emblems representing the napkin of the master of the robes, signifying that the tab once decorated an amir’s accoutrements.
The construction of openwork bars along the top of the tab is different from those forming a lattice above the pair of tabs, No. 51 [EA1984.35]. Instead of inserting a strip of linen and withdrawing the weft threads, here the worker fastened long threads between a band of fabric and the top of the tab and then needlewove them into pairs of bars. This would have allowed cords to be slotted through the holes. -
Details
- Associated place
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Near East (place of creation)
- Date
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late 13th century - early 14th century
Mamluk Period (1250 - 1517)
- Material and technique
- linen, with white linen appliqué; needle-woven openwork in flax; with stitching in flax
- Dimensions
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25.5 x 16.5 cm (length x width)
along length/width 24 / 24 threads/cm (thread count)
ground fabric 0.04 cm max. (thread diameter)
ground fabric 0.02 cm min. (thread diameter)
additional fabric 0.03 cm (thread diameter)
- Material index
- Technique index
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assembled › woven › plain woven,woven › plain woven,
- Object type index
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textile › hanging › tent-hanging,
- No. of items
- 1
- Credit line
- Presented by Professor Percy Newberry, 1941.
- Accession no.
- EA1984.134
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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. 52 on p. 76, illus. p. 77
Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, cat. vol. ii, vol. i p. 16 n. 3, 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.
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Publications online
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Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt
The type of appliqué or applied work on this tab is sometimes called ‘onlay’ patchwork. The technique has been practiced in Cairo for hundreds of years, especially for tents and hangings, and work continues to this day in the street of the tentmakers near Bab al-Zuwayla. The top layer of fabric is like a frame, with half and quarter circle shapes cut from one piece of fabric and stitched to the backing. Two circles enclosing diamond shapes were then applied individually to the background fabric and small Z shapes and central diamonds added to complete the design. The diamond shapes are emblems representing the napkin of the master of the robes, signifying that the tab once decorated an amir’s accoutrements.
The construction of openwork bars along the top of the tab is different from those forming a lattice above the pair of tabs, No. 51 [EA1984.35]. Instead of inserting a strip of linen and withdrawing the weft threads, here the worker fastened long threads between a band of fabric and the top of the tab and then needlewove them into pairs of bars. This would have allowed cords to be slotted through the holes. -
The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries
A tab with white appliqué on a white ground, showing two complete and four partial circles, each containing a diamond.
The top of the tab has eight pairs of open string worked with needle weaving, to connect to an additional narrow band of plain fabric. The open work was probably made to allow for a band to be laced through, possibly for tieing up the tab. See also EA1984.35.
Notice
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