Cap (Headgear) thumbnail 1
Not on display

Cap (Headgear)

ca. AD1250-1500 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A head cap of woven silk and linen. Egyptian, possibly Mamluk, ca. AD1250-1500. From a tomb. The cap is comprised of a skull cap and a head band. The skull cap is made of six triangles of fabric sewn together. The fabric is blue silk and is quilted in geometric patterns with a blue silk thread. Decoration is achieved by design on the tips of the triangles. Three tips have six small holes forming a triangle, that are stitched with button hole stitch using blue silk. The tips in between have thin strips of gilded leather sewn across to form a triangle. One strip of gilded leather runs across one of the triangles. The head band (750mm in width) has one band (20mm across) of gilded leather strips. The rest of the band is decorated with quilted rows of zig-zagged diamonds that run around the cap. The lining is undyed, plain weave linen. Between the lining and the silk is a layer of paper/fibre which helps shape the quilted design. Paper has been attached to the band in recent times, using small metal pins, for support as one side of the hat is badly torn.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Woven silk and linen, leather, gold and paper/fibre, quilted
Brief description
A head cap of woven silk and linen. Egyptian, possibly Mamluk, ca. AD1250-1500. Quilted, decorated with strips of gilt leather.
Physical description
A head cap of woven silk and linen. The cap is comprised of a skull cap and a head band. The skull cap is made of six triangles of fabric sewn together. The fabric is blue silk and is quilted in geometric patterns with a blue silk thread. Decoration is achieved by design on the tips of the triangles. Three tips have six small holes forming a triangle, that are stitched with button hole stitch using blue silk. The tips in between have thin strips of gilded leather sewn across to form a triangle. One strip of gilded leather runs across one of the triangles. The head band (750mm in width) has one band (20mm across) of gilded leather strips. The rest of the band is decorated with quilted rows of zig-zagged diamonds that run around the cap. The lining is undyed, plain weave linen. Between the lining and the silk is a layer of paper/fibre which helps shape the quilted design. Paper has been attached to the band in recent times, using small metal pins, for support as one side of the hat is badly torn.
Dimensions
  • Circumference: 430mm
  • From one edge to the other, measuring the full extent of fabric across the skull area. length: 290mm
Credit line
Given by Dudley B. Myers, esq.
Summary
A head cap of woven silk and linen. Egyptian, possibly Mamluk, ca. AD1250-1500. From a tomb. The cap is comprised of a skull cap and a head band. The skull cap is made of six triangles of fabric sewn together. The fabric is blue silk and is quilted in geometric patterns with a blue silk thread. Decoration is achieved by design on the tips of the triangles. Three tips have six small holes forming a triangle, that are stitched with button hole stitch using blue silk. The tips in between have thin strips of gilded leather sewn across to form a triangle. One strip of gilded leather runs across one of the triangles. The head band (750mm in width) has one band (20mm across) of gilded leather strips. The rest of the band is decorated with quilted rows of zig-zagged diamonds that run around the cap. The lining is undyed, plain weave linen. Between the lining and the silk is a layer of paper/fibre which helps shape the quilted design. Paper has been attached to the band in recent times, using small metal pins, for support as one side of the hat is badly torn.
Bibliographic reference
R. Smalley, "Late Antique and Medieval Headwear from Egypt in the Victoria and Albert Museum", British Museum Studies in ANcient Egypt and Sudan 21 (2014): 81-101
Collection
Accession number
1097-1900

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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