Origin: Egypt
Circa: 4 th Century AD to 7 th Century AD
Dimensions: 5.25" (13.3cm) high x 5.5" (14.0cm) wide
Collection: Egyptian
Style: Coptic
Medium: Textile
For centuries, the native weavers of Egypt were famous for the richness of their work. Using intricate patterns and vivid colors, Coptic weavers created masterpieces of textile art. Coptic textiles, used for rugs, wall hangings and clothing appliques, were exported throughout the Roman and Byzantine empires. However, the finest surviving examples come from Egypt itself, where the dry climate has preserved the delicate fabric. Intimate in scale yet monumental in vision, these woven pictures speak of a world alive with color and movement. This boldly abstract image depicts a naked male carrying an exotic animal. It is worked in shades of red, blue, green and black. The image is at once decorative and representational. It perhaps shows a worshipper bringing a votive gift before some unknown god. The linen around it suggests it once adorned a very fine tunic. As we gaze upon it today, we wonder who might have looked upon this woven picture on a bright morning in Egypt when the world was younger. - (PF.2116)

Antiquities
Ancient Egyptian