Tunic
6th Century - 7th Century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This child's tunic has a resist dyed diaper pattern of rosettes within lozenge shaped compartments, and is of an unusual cut for the time. It was found in a grave at Akhmim by the Swiss archaeologist R. Forrer and dated to the 6th-7th centuries. Hitherto, most Egyptian tunics were cut in a T-shape, but the tunic shown here is of a more 'tailored' cut. It has a neck opening at the side with a slit along the shoulder; the sleeves are slightly curved narrowing towards the wrists but most importantly, gores have been inserted in the side seams of the skirt, allowing the garment a better shape and fit. This reflects the development of tailoring in the 6th and 7th centuries in Egypt which is thought to have been introduced by foreign tunics, predominantly from Syria and Iran.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Plain woven cotton, resist dyed |
| Brief description | Child's tunic, resist dyed cotton, Egypt, possibly Akhmim, possibly 6th Century - 7th Century |
| Physical description | Child's tunic, made of resist-dyed cotton. The T-shaped cut tunic has been tailored from several pieces, with side gores at the skirt and with the sleeves sewn on separately. The neck opening has a slit along the shoulder, closed with a loop and button. The resist dyed pattern, done with indigo dye, shows a diaper pattern of rosettes within lozenge shaped compartments. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label | CHILD'S COTTON TUNIC
6th - 7th century
Painted with a resist, and dyed with indigo. Found in a grave at Akhmin.
The use of cotton, and the form of the tunic, which differs from most early tunics found in Egypt, have led some authorities to suggest a late medieval date for this piece. Tunics of similar cut, however, including one in cotton, have been found at Halabiych (ancient Zenobia), and can probably be dated prior to the sack of that town by Khusrô in 610 A.D.
From the Forrer collection.
1522-1899.(after 1899) |
| Credit line | Forrer Collection |
| Object history | From the collection of Swiss archaeologist R. Forrer; allegedly found in a grave at Akhmim, but this attribution was commonly given to textiles by dealers in order to add value, and so must be treated with a degree of suspicion. Stylistically the tailoring of this tunic, and curved neck, suggest the influence of Persian fashion which intensified after they briefly occupied Egypt in the 7th Century (although the influence of such styles was already emergant in the 6th century). Similar tunics have been found at Halabiyeh (ancient Zenobia in Syria) and can thus be dated prior to the sack of that town by Khusrôw II in 610 AD, but this tunic could also date slightly later - a similar example from Crocodopolis was carbon dated to give a range of 618-682 AD. |
| Summary | This child's tunic has a resist dyed diaper pattern of rosettes within lozenge shaped compartments, and is of an unusual cut for the time. It was found in a grave at Akhmim by the Swiss archaeologist R. Forrer and dated to the 6th-7th centuries. Hitherto, most Egyptian tunics were cut in a T-shape, but the tunic shown here is of a more 'tailored' cut. It has a neck opening at the side with a slit along the shoulder; the sleeves are slightly curved narrowing towards the wrists but most importantly, gores have been inserted in the side seams of the skirt, allowing the garment a better shape and fit. This reflects the development of tailoring in the 6th and 7th centuries in Egypt which is thought to have been introduced by foreign tunics, predominantly from Syria and Iran. |
| Bibliographic reference | Vogelsang-Eastwood, Gillian, Fra Faraos Klædeskab. Mode i Oldtidens Ægypten (Amsterdam / København: Batavian Lion / Nationalmuseet, 1995): 89, fig. 151. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1522-1899 |
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| Record created | August 22, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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