Publication Date
193-198 AH / 809-813 AD
Publication Place
-
Museum of Islamic Art
Subject
Silk embellished linen.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الطول: 80 سم ؛ العرض: 18 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
3084
Record ID
object;ISL;eg;Mus01;49;ar
Library Location
Museum of Islamic Art
Date
193-198 AH / 809-813 AD
Notes
The piece is part of a shawl or turban made of thin linen, decorated with a wide band with delicate floral decorations woven from green, blue and yellow silk. At the bottom of this strip there is a line of calligraphy woven from brown silk, which reads: “In the name of God, a blessing from God to Abdullah the Trustworthy Muhammad, the Commander of the Faithful. May God prolong his life from what He commanded to be made in the common style in Egypt at the hands of Al-Fadl bin Al-Rabi’ and the Commander of the Faithful.” This script is considered the oldest writing woven from silk on linen. In the Islamic era, the shawl or turban was decorated at both ends with a decorative strip, followed by a line of writing, then a thin line, and ending with a fringe (tassel). This piece was made in common style, that is, textile factories that specialized in making textiles for the common people. In addition to the general style, there were textile factories established by the caliphs to manufacture clothing and textiles for the caliph and his entourage, and they were called “private style.” Some fine textiles that were made in the public style, such as this piece, indicate to us that the caliphs made the textiles they needed in the public style as well as the private style. The closets of the Abbasid Caliph Muhammad al-Amin (ruled in the period 193-198 AH / 809-813 AD) were filled with clothing and furnishings, so much so that Al-Fadl ibn al-Rabi’ kept counting what was in the closets for four months, which indicates the great interest of this caliph in the types of clothing, turbans, and coverings.
Sample Text
Muhammad Abbas Muhammad Selim “Piece of textile” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;eg;Mus01;49;ar
