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

All the experimental designs on this small fragment of linen have been carried out in close counted herringbone stitch. Like pattern darning and double running, the stitches are worked evenly over and under a predetermined number of warp and weft threads of the ground fabric, but this technique is a faster method of covering the ground. As shown on the sampler, close counted herringbone stitch can be used in linear fashion, as for the continuous scroll design, or in rows to fill shapes. A close examination of the reverse side of the fragment reveals that the embroiderer made several attempts before discovering the best way to stitch a line of upright and reversed triangles without leaving long floating threads or tangles. This process is one familiar to present day embroiderers. Of the two recognisable patterns recorded in blue silk on the sampler, one is a scrolling stem design and the other is just one single foliate S.

A sampler fragment with representations of various continuous scrolls.

There is a selvedge with remains of sewing thread at one end.

The textile has been radiocarbon dated to 1285 +/- 40.