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Source Description
This mythological scene of the first labor of Hercules––capturing the Nemean lion––originally decorated the front, back, or shoulder of a unisex linen tunic. Hercules was tasked with performing 12 labors as penance for slaying his own wife and children. Here he carries a club with a lion skin slung over his shoulder, serving as impenetrable armor. His companion, Iolaus, carries his bow and quiver on the right. The small figure in the center is unidentified. Knotted ornaments fill the corners, surrounded by a broad purple border edged with a running wave motif.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
151053
label
Ornamental Square from a Tunic
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
151053
contentType
object
title
Ornamental Square from a Tunic
description
This mythological scene of the first labor of Hercules––capturing the Nemean lion––originally decorated the front, back, or shoulder of a unisex linen tunic. Hercules was tasked with performing 12 labors as penance for slaying his own wife and children. Here he carries a club with a lion skin slung over his shoulder, serving as impenetrable armor. His companion, Iolaus, carries his bow and quiver on the right. The small figure in the center is unidentified. Knotted ornaments fill the corners, surrounded by a broad purple border edged with a running wave motif.
date
400s
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79934257
genreSpecific
Textile
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 16.5 x 16.2 cm (6 1/2 x 6 3/8 in.); Mounted: 24.1 x 23.8 cm (9 1/2 x 9 3/8 in.)
cul
Egypt, Byzantine period
accession
1982.8
Source extras
tec
tapestry weave with supplementary weft wrapping; undyed linen and dyed wool
tombstone
Ornamental Square from a Tunic, 400s. Egypt, Byzantine period. Tapestry weave with supplementary weft wrapping; undyed linen and dyed wool; overall: 16.5 x 16.2 cm (6 1/2 x 6 3/8 in.); mounted: 24.1 x 23.8 cm (9 1/2 x 9 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund, 1982.80
collection
T - Coptic
creditline
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 07:48:15.880000
sourceId
151053
dept
Textiles
coll
T - Coptic
med
tapestry weave with supplementary weft wrapping; undyed linen and dyed wool
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
8529600efcaa2e42