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Source Description
Originally, these luxurious silk roundels, each with at least three matching pieces, were cut and sewn onto the front and back of a tunic, probably linen, in Egypt. They belong to a sizeable group of comparable silk decorations found in Akhmim, Egypt. In each roundel, a stylized palmette tree is enclosed within a simplified lotus border which evolved from an ancient Egyptian lotus motif. These delicate silks were woven on large looms with automatic pattern repetition, called drawlooms. Dark blue and ivory silk horizontal wefts dominate, interlaced by vertical warps in a diagonal twill weave. A second inner warp does not come to the surface; one inner warp is visible between each interlacing warp. This compound weave, with two warps, is often called complementary weft twill with inner warps (samit).
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
150906
label
Fragment of a Segmentum with Palmette Tree
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
150906
contentType
object
title
Fragment of a Segmentum with Palmette Tree
description
Originally, these luxurious silk roundels, each with at least three matching pieces, were cut and sewn onto the front and back of a tunic, probably linen, in Egypt. They belong to a sizeable group of comparable silk decorations found in Akhmim, Egypt. In each roundel, a stylized palmette tree is enclosed within a simplified lotus border which evolved from an ancient Egyptian lotus motif. These delicate silks were woven on large looms with automatic pattern repetition, called drawlooms. Dark blue and ivory silk horizontal wefts dominate, interlaced by vertical warps in a diagonal twill weave. A second inner warp does not come to the surface; one inner warp is visible between each interlacing warp. This compound weave, with two warps, is often called complementary weft twill with inner warps (samit).
date
700s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79933886
genreSpecific
Textile
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 7.9 x 8.6 cm (3 1/8 x 3 3/8 in.); Mounted: 14 x 15.2 cm (5 1/2 x 6 in.)
cul
Syria, Umayyad period (661–750) or Abbasid period (750–1258)
accession
1982.292
Source extras
tec
Silk: compound twill
tombstone
Fragment of a Segmentum with Palmette Tree, 700s. Syria, Umayyad period (661–750) or Abbasid period (750–1258). Silk: compound twill; overall: 7.9 x 8.6 cm (3 1/8 x 3 3/8 in.); mounted: 14 x 15.2 cm (5 1/2 x 6 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1982.292
collection
Textiles
creditline
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 07:47:26.197000
sourceId
150906
dept
Textiles
coll
Textiles
med
Silk: compound twill
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
49cf1b03fd8fee30