Cleveland Museum of Art

Roundel from a Curtain

Date

300s CE

Medium

plain weave ground with tapestry weave and supplementary weft wrapping; undyed linen and dyed wool

Culture

Egypt, Byzantine period

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This circular element called a roundel that originally decorated a curtain displays a perfectly interlaced knot, a design believed to provide protection from harm. Curtains were often used as modular walls in houses, theaters, and Christian churches during the late Roman and early Christian periods. The purple color was achieved with kermes, a dye derived from the dried bodies of insects of the same name.

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