Tab with eagle blazons, chalices, and inscription, probably from an awning
Details
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Title
Tab with eagle blazons, chalices, and inscription, probably from an awning
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Associated place
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Date
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Material and technique
linen, dyed light-blue, with some blue tracing visible, embroidered with red silk; with a run-and-fell seam and a turned hem in flax
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Material index
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Technique index
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Object type
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Dimensions
31 x 11 cm (length x width)
along length/width 20 / 24 threads/cm (thread count)
ground fabric 0.05 cm max. (thread diameter)
ground fabric 0.03 cm min. (thread diameter)
additional fibre, embroidery 0.06 cm (thread diameter) -
No. of items
1
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Credit line
Presented by Professor Percy Newberry, 1941.
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Museum location
Museum department
Eastern Art
Accession no.
EA1984.48
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Catalogue text
A long tab with three bands of eagle blazons and an inscription set into a hexagon. Between these bands are two rows, each with three chalices. The tip of the tab has diagonally placed sprigs of flowers, and the entire tab has a narrow border of a continuous vine, the stem of which is embroidered in split stitch, while all other embroidery is done in couching. The inscription reads 'al-'izz al-da'im' (lasting glory).
The chalice was the sign of the office of the cup-bearer, while the eagle was used as a heraldic emblem by several of the Mamluk sultans. The tab was probably part of an awning used on the occasion of outdoor festivities attended by the mamluks.
Although the ground fabric now looks undyed, close inspection actually reveals that it was originally dyed light blue, as can still be seen where the embroidery has disintegrated.
Blue tracing is visible where part of the embroidery has disintegrated. The tab has been sewn on with a run-and-fell seam, and it has a finely sewn turned hem.In: Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum
Further reading
Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, vol. ii, vol. i
Reference URL
