Author
Unknown
Publication Place
Turkey (made) Egypt (discovered) -
Subject
Parrot
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
Largest fragment length: 290mm, Largest fragment width: 150mm, Length: 170mm, Width: 160mm, Length: 120mm, Width: 100mm, Smallest fragment length: 100mm, Smallest fragment width: 45mm
Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID
T.104-1949
Record ID
T.104-1949
Library Location
Middle East Section
Notes
Birds of all kinds were popular as a decorative theme at this period. Tunics with designs of repeating birds, probably in reality made of silks very like these, are to be seen worn by two women on the Empress's left in the mosaic panel with the Empress Theodora at San Vitale, Ravenna. These fragments shown here are probably from a tunic, indicated by fold lines and traces of sewing. They are of compound twill silk, with a design of small parrots in grass green with white heads and claws on a dull pink ground.
Tarihsel bağlam
Another fragment of the same silk, measuring approx. 130 x 165 mm, is in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio (no. 1950.520). Fold lines and traces of sewing on these fragments and on the piece in Cleveland indicate that they come from a tunic, from the tuck that habitually was sewn across the garment at waist-level.
Malzemeler ve teknikler
Woven silk Silk (Textile) Patterned Weave
Fiziksel açıklama
Four irregular fragments of compound twill silk, with a design of small parrots in grass-green with white heads and claws on a dull pink ground. The parrots occur in three different postures, accompanied by two plant sprigs. The vertical axis of the design is parallel to the weft, and in this direction the same motif repeats without a break. In the direction of the warp the three different images succeed each other and on the third largest fragment appear reversed. Weft-faced compound 1/2 twill; warp yarn of pink silk, Z-spun, 31-35 threads per cm; weft yearns of white, grass-green and pink silk without twist, 55-60 passes per cm. Some weaving faults.
Üretim
Woven in the Eastern Mediterranean area, probably Byzantine, but undoubtedly found in Egypt.
Üslup
Byzantine
