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 band of chevrons and trefoil finials
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Literature notes
This type of decoration of zigzag counterchange patterns can still be seen in 14th and 15th century Cairo architectural decoration. Evidently it appealed to textile designers, for elegant repeating zigzag bands decorated with fleurs-de-lys and naskhi script appear on a Mamluk woven silk, now divided among four museums in Europe and North America. Here the embroidery is far less grand, with no calligraphy, but is nevertheless impressive. By choosing to work it in close counted herringbone stitch, the embroiderer has produced a dense, slightly raised effect that adds a textural quality to the work and increases the contrast between the embroidered areas and those left in reserve. -
Details
- Associated place
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Near East (place of creation)
- Date
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14th century (1301 - 1400)
Mamluk Period (1250 - 1517)
- Material and technique
- linen, embroidered with silk
- Dimensions
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42.5 x 8 cm max. (length x width)
along length/width 19 / 19 threads/cm (thread count)
ground fabric 0.05 cm (thread diameter)
additional fibre, embroidery 0.07 cm (thread diameter)
- Material index
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organic › animal › animal product › silk
- Technique index
- Object type index
- No. of items
- 1
- Credit line
- Presented by Professor Percy Newberry, 1941.
- Accession no.
- EA1993.156
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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. 38 on p. 56, illus. p. 56
Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, cat. p. 117 (vol. iv), illus. vol. iv p. 117
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
This type of decoration of zigzag counterchange patterns can still be seen in 14th and 15th century Cairo architectural decoration. Evidently it appealed to textile designers, for elegant repeating zigzag bands decorated with fleurs-de-lys and naskhi script appear on a Mamluk woven silk, now divided among four museums in Europe and North America. Here the embroidery is far less grand, with no calligraphy, but is nevertheless impressive. By choosing to work it in close counted herringbone stitch, the embroiderer has produced a dense, slightly raised effect that adds a textural quality to the work and increases the contrast between the embroidered areas and those left in reserve. -
The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries
A band with chevrons and trefoil finials.
Notice
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