We don’t have an image of this object online yet. V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: 1096-1900
Find out about our images

Not currently on display at the V&A

Cap (Headgear)

ca. AD1000-1400 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Fragment of a child's skull cap in silk and linen. Egyptian, ca. AD 1000-1400. From a tomb.The cover fabric is pattern woven in silk and thin strips of leather possible once gilded. Very fine, buff, silk (?) warp with wefts of green, yellow, pink and white. The fabric has stripes across it which include brown leather strips, 2mm wide. The linen lining is undyed; plain weave; approx 32x32 tpc. There appears to be a middle lining made of loosely, plain woven linen. It is undyed; z-spun; approx. 12 x 12 tpc ; approx. 0.5 -1.0 mm dia. There are holes and staining across the remaining fabric.

The construction would have been much like 1099-1900 and 1100-1900. Some of the rim remains, made of dark brown, linen, plain woven, approx. 5mm wide on the outer side and 7mm on the inner. Next to it are two lines of running stitch, using black/blue linen thread, s-spun. A central join (black/blue, poorly dyed, linen thread; whip stitch) across the crown remains. On either side of the join are two rows of running stitch in the same thread. The row continues from one side to the other with the same threads. The rows do not meet the edge of the cap. A small portion of what would have been a linen tie remains on one side. It is poorly dyed in blue and sewn to the cap with the blue/black, linen thread.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Woven silk and linen with strips of leather
Brief description
Fragment of a child's skull cap in silk and linen. Egyptian, ca. AD 1000-1400. From a tomb.
Physical description
Fragment of a child's skull cap in silk and linen. The cover fabric is pattern woven in silk and thin strips of leather possible once gilded. Very fine, buff, silk (?) warp with wefts of green, yellow, pink and white. The fabric has stripes across it which include brown leather strips, 2mm wide. The linen lining is undyed; plain weave; approx 32x32 tpc. There appears to be a middle lining made of loosely, plain woven linen. It is undyed; z-spun; approx. 12 x 12 tpc ; approx. 0.5 -1.0 mm dia. There are holes and staining across the remaining fabric.

The construction would have been much like 1099-1900 and 1100-1900. Some of the rim remains, made of dark brown, linen, plain woven, approx. 5mm wide on the outer side and 7mm on the inner. Next to it are two lines of running stitch, using black/blue linen thread, s-spun. A central join (black/blue, poorly dyed, linen thread; whip stitch) across the crown remains. On either side of the join are two rows of running stitch in the same thread. The row continues from one side to the other with the same threads. The rows do not meet the edge of the cap. A small portion of what would have been a linen tie remains on one side. It is poorly dyed in blue and sewn to the cap with the blue/black, linen thread.
Dimensions
  • Fragment width: 220mm
  • Fragment depth: 145mm
Credit line
Given by Dudley B. Myers, esq.
Summary
Fragment of a child's skull cap in silk and linen. Egyptian, ca. AD 1000-1400. From a tomb.The cover fabric is pattern woven in silk and thin strips of leather possible once gilded. Very fine, buff, silk (?) warp with wefts of green, yellow, pink and white. The fabric has stripes across it which include brown leather strips, 2mm wide. The linen lining is undyed; plain weave; approx 32x32 tpc. There appears to be a middle lining made of loosely, plain woven linen. It is undyed; z-spun; approx. 12 x 12 tpc ; approx. 0.5 -1.0 mm dia. There are holes and staining across the remaining fabric.

The construction would have been much like 1099-1900 and 1100-1900. Some of the rim remains, made of dark brown, linen, plain woven, approx. 5mm wide on the outer side and 7mm on the inner. Next to it are two lines of running stitch, using black/blue linen thread, s-spun. A central join (black/blue, poorly dyed, linen thread; whip stitch) across the crown remains. On either side of the join are two rows of running stitch in the same thread. The row continues from one side to the other with the same threads. The rows do not meet the edge of the cap. A small portion of what would have been a linen tie remains on one side. It is poorly dyed in blue and sewn to the cap with the blue/black, linen thread.
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
1096-1900

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON