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Egyptian

Tiraz (Textile Fragment), ca. 1150 - 1200

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Egyptian

Title

Tiraz (Textile Fragment)

Year

ca. 1150 - 1200

Medium

Silk and linen tapestry weave

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • silk

Dimensions

31.8 x 18.7 cm (12 1/2 x 7 3/8 inches)

Type

  • Textiles

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Murray S. Danforth

Object Number

33.020

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

It Comes in Many Forms

October 23, 2020 - December 18, 2021

One of the oldest objects in this exhibition, this textile fragment was until now mounted upside down, making the Arabic inscription appear meaningless. The phrase “success and prosperity” repeats here, with braided bands enclosing animals in red and yellow tapestry-woven silk.

Given as gifts for loyalty to caliphs (religious and civil leaders), tiraz were usually sewn onto high-ranking officials’ clothing. Initially, tiraz included the names of caliphs, but with the decline of the caliphate structure in the 1200s, embroiderers and weavers began to use this form to convey good wishes instead.

A World of Costume and Textiles

September 22 - November 12, 1989

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Tiraz (Textile Fragment) with the accession number of 33.020. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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