Tiraz Textile, Egypt, mid-12th century, Linen tabby, with red and yellow silk tapestry-woven bands, AKM304

Tiraz Textile, Egypt, mid-12th century, Linen tabby, with red and yellow silk tapestry-woven bands, AKM304

Beautiful but fragile textiles are among the rarest items to survive from the medieval Silk Roads. Often only a few fragments remain, such as the hem of a sleeve or collar, as in the delicate tapestry-woven script (Arabic tiraz, derived from the Persian word for 'embroidery') seen here. Tiraz inscriptions like this one, showing the ruler's name, were popular in Egypt during the Fatimid period (909-1171). This one invokes blessings on its owner, while the small medallions feature the playful figure of a hare or bird.

Dimensions: 25 x 27.5 cm

Material: Linen tabby, with red and yellow silk tapestry-woven bands

AKM304

Egypt

Photographer credit: Courtesy of the Aga Khan Museum

mid-12th century

Arabic

Aga Khan Museum

Aga Khan Museum

Tiraz Textile