Non-Indian Textiles and Other Artifacts

 

As has been mentioned in that section of the exhibition on the site of Fustat, the Kelsey Museum collection also has a certain number of block-printed resist-dyed textile fragments that are certainly not of Indian origin. They are easily distinguished by technical characteristics, such as a different thread spin or even fibre, or by a design that is clearly associated with Near-Eastern Islamic traditions. In some instances Indian textiles might possibly have served as prototypes for designs; other motifs and patterns, however, such as the rosette pattern, are so simple and widely distributed, that is is impossible to prove any relationship.

 

 

Two Comparative Fragments showning Non-Indian designs

 

 

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