Mantle Fragment
1st century AD to 3rd century AD (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Fragment of a mantle (pallium) of undyed cream wool, with a motif in purple wool. Weave is weft-faced simple tabby in wool, warp and weft S-spun, and tapestry-woven purple wool Z-spun. Undyed linen and purple wefts are dovetailed round the same warp thread at the junction of the two colours. A selvedge over three cords appears at one side. The dye of purple threads may have come from the shellfish murex.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | woven wool and linen |
| Brief description | Fragment of a mantle of undyed wool with a motif in purple wool. |
| Physical description | Fragment of a mantle (pallium) of undyed cream wool, with a motif in purple wool. Weave is weft-faced simple tabby in wool, warp and weft S-spun, and tapestry-woven purple wool Z-spun. Undyed linen and purple wefts are dovetailed round the same warp thread at the junction of the two colours. A selvedge over three cords appears at one side. The dye of purple threads may have come from the shellfish murex. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | Purchased from the Reverend Greville John Chester |
| Historical context | Mantles like this, in the Greek style (a rectangular wrap worn over the tunic and usually made of wool at this time), were worn in Egypt by both men and women up until at least the 5th or 6th century AD, but the unornamented tapestry decoration on this example suggests an earlier date. |
| Association | |
| Summary | Fragment of a mantle (pallium) of undyed cream wool, with a motif in purple wool. Weave is weft-faced simple tabby in wool, warp and weft S-spun, and tapestry-woven purple wool Z-spun. Undyed linen and purple wefts are dovetailed round the same warp thread at the junction of the two colours. A selvedge over three cords appears at one side. The dye of purple threads may have come from the shellfish murex. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1365-1888 |
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| Record created | August 3, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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