Cleveland Museum of Art

Fragment with tripartite band

Date

1000s–1100s

Medium

Silk warp and cotton weft (mulham): plain weave; gold leaf and ink

Culture

Iran or Iraq, Seljuq period

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This three-part band consists of two opposing bands of inscriptions flanking an ornamental band of winged griffins within eight-pointed stars, separated by various creatures—a rabbit, a cheetah, and possibly a sphinx. The inscriptions in the band are in simple Kufic against a floriated background. They, as well as the single band of inscription above, repeat in various combinations as benedictions, "endurance and good fortune, blessing, peace." The patches forming the background are gold, the design is drawn in black, and the background of only one star is blue. This textile probably reflects the international fashion or may have been made for export to Egypt, where this fragment likely survived. Gold leaf was applied on mulham and decorated mostly likely with a stylus (pen) and ink drawing.

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