Fragment of a scarf or stole, wool with tapestry woven and brocaded decoration, Egypt, Antaeopolis / Qau el-Kebir, possibly 5th-8th Century

Fragment from a stole or scarf, in buff wool. It is decorated with two tapestry woven roundels in dark blue and buff wool, depicting a geometric pattern surrounded by a scrolling wave-patern border. Between these is a tapestry woven cross in dark blue wool, of which three arms remains.

At the bottom of the fragment are twelve crosses brocaded in green, yellow, red and dark blue wool, surrounded by a brocaded zig-zag pattern in the same colours. Below this are braided columns in red, green and dark blue wool, and a coloured fringe.

The fragment preserves both borders, which are three rows of bundled wefts.

Given by the British School of Archaeology in Egypt

Found at Qau el-Kebir / Antaeopolis, 1923 excavation season.

A fragment of plain woven cloth (350mm height) of buff wool. There are two tapestry roundels (70mm dia.) in blue and buff wool with geometric decoration in an oval and border with scrolling waves. Three arms of a cross remain between the roundels. To the left is an area of decoration (embroidery?), a column of coloured crosses are bordered with coloured zig-zags. To the left of this are colourful, thin braided columns and a columns of coloured fringing. The fringes are approx. 50mm long but only some remain in full length. The fragment has both borders which are of three rows of bundled wefts.

T.235-1923