Cover
700 - 1000 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This complete linen cloth has a repeating all-over abstract design woven with a discontinous supplementary weft of coloured wools and white cotton. The cloth was part of a large acquisition from Reverend Greville J Chester in 1887. Chester was a keen collector of Egyptian antiquities and actively purchased objects abroad for several British museums.
Many cloths of this type have been recovered in Egypt although at the present we are not certain of their original function. They were found in burials, most of them already used, either wrapping or covering the dead.
Many cloths of this type have been recovered in Egypt although at the present we are not certain of their original function. They were found in burials, most of them already used, either wrapping or covering the dead.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Supplementary weft, linen, wool and cotton |
| Brief description | All-over abstract design woven with a discontinous supplementary weft of coloured wools and white cotton, 700-1000, Egypt |
| Physical description | Full width linen cloth "brocaded' in green, brown, pinkish brown, pink wool and white cotton (possibly). An abstract repeating field design of octagons in two colours enclosing a four-petalled flower in reverse. The octagons are within a grid of diagonal lines of four small squares although not individually linked to each other. The field decoration is framed by a blue line, borders of alternating squares and small flowers, which ceases a little way in from the selvedges and warp fringe both ends. Discontinous supplementary weft under 1 over 3. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | 242-1887 to 297-1887 inclusive purchased for 9s 6d from Reverend Greville Chester. |
| Historical context | The weaving technique is not strictly speaking a brocading but similar to the Swedish traditional weaving called dukagång, which is with discontinous supplementary weft, also called swivel weave. This can easily be confused with embroidery as long ends are left on the back. Weaving took place with back up. |
| Association | |
| Summary | This complete linen cloth has a repeating all-over abstract design woven with a discontinous supplementary weft of coloured wools and white cotton. The cloth was part of a large acquisition from Reverend Greville J Chester in 1887. Chester was a keen collector of Egyptian antiquities and actively purchased objects abroad for several British museums. Many cloths of this type have been recovered in Egypt although at the present we are not certain of their original function. They were found in burials, most of them already used, either wrapping or covering the dead. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 284-1887 |
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| Record created | May 8, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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