Physical description

Set of textile fragments of embroidered natural linen with diaper check motifs and lions. The warp and weft are spun to the right (Z) with 75 warps to the inch (30 per cm) and 75 wefts to the inch (30 per cm).

Place of Origin

Athens (made)

Date

500 BC - 440 BC (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Embroidered linen

Object history note

Following the purchase of these fragments by the Museum in 1953, the then Assistant Keeper of Textiles, John Beckwith, wrote an article upon them. This was printed by the Illustrated London News and published in the Jan 23rd 1954 issue. In the opening paragraph, John Beckwith describes how these textiles were found in a bronze kalpis (a water jar) with bones and the powdered remains of other, totally degraded textiles. Beckwith writes that the kalpis had been sold separately and privately, and is now lost. They came from Koropi, near Athens, and at that time it was the first discovery of textiles from classical antiquity to have been found in Greece. Beckwith states how these fragments show that the Ancient Greeks did have knowledge of embroidery techniques, something which had previously been doubted by scholars..

Descriptive line

Set of textile fragments of embroidered linen, Athens, 500BC - 440BC

Production Note

Probably found in a bronze kalpis at Koropi near Athens.

Materials

Linen

Techniques

Embroidery

Subjects depicted

Lions (animals); Diaper-work

Categories

Textiles; Embroidery

Collection

Textiles and Fashion Collection