Part A: a plain/tabby woven linen cloth with blue silk decorative bands. Tiraz. Egypt, possibly Mamluk, ca. AD1200-1500. The piece has selvedge on either side. The linen is undyed; approx. 31x 22 tpc; s-spun; thread dia. approx. 0.5mm. There is one line of blue decoration, approx. 5mm wide, composed of connected circular motifs. The second band of decoration, approx.16mm wide, has a central line like the other but is bordered on either side with Islamic script. The piece is torn in half (the small piece may be 2172-1900), is stained and has holes. In the Abbasid period (AD750-1258) fabrics, called tiraz, were made in present day Iraq and Egypt. The word came to mean honorific robes with woven or embroidered inscriptions. Text from the Koran was embroided across the fabric with a line of geometric shapes above that were probably for decoration. Text might also include information such as the name of the reigning caliph, place of production and date.