Woven Inscription

Multi-colored wool and silk tapestry-weave in plain-weave blue wool background

6th c AH (12th c CE), Fatimid period

Found in Egypt

KM 26744

Elsberg Purchase, 1940

There are three decorative bands in the design of this textile. The bottom-most consists of plain stripes. The middle of a band contains repetitions of fairly simple lozenges in blue, green, and gold. In the upper-most band a central register of ornamented lozenges separated by "gold" beads is framed at top and bottom with mirroring lines of script in a whitish undyed linen outlined in black wool. This "inscription" has not been deciphered. In fact, these two framing lines of calligraphy may be entirely decorative. The purely visual appeal of the written word is frequently attested in the archaeological record by imitative inscriptions.