Ancient Egyptian textile fragment from Illahun dated AD 395 – 642

Coarse linen, ground covered with diamond shaped spaces bordered with three lines of embroidery stitches in red wool, enclosing cross shaped device in green and yellow. Border of two broad red and a central narrow stripe of embroidery stitching.
Plain woven. There are eight warps and eight wefts per centimetre. The embroidery is of simple all over diamond designs worked in thick wool over five warps. Long floats on reverse side. Loose thread ends on reverse. Border stripes in pinks and green wools. Colours used are pinks, green, blue and gold.

Ancient Egyptian textile fragment from Illahun dated AD 395 – 642

Object details

  • Reference: BOLMG:1911.63.7
  • Material: linen wool
  • Period: Coptic Period
  • Excavator: W.M.F. Petrie
  • Dated: AD 395 - 642
  • Object name: textile fragment
  • Dimensions: Length: 557mm , Width: 417mm
  • Published references: A similar group in the Whitworth Art Gallery, exhibited and published by F. Pritchard, Clothing Culture (2006)
  • Site: Illahun
  • Latitude: 29.233333
  • Longitude: 30.966667