Ancient Egyptian textile fragment from Illahun dated AD 395 – 642

Coarse linen, embroidered in coloured wools with star and cross bands. Much of the wool perished, showing needle holes in the linen.
Plain weave. There are 11 warps and 11 wefts per centimetre. The embroidery is in blue, red, purple, pink and green wools. Stitches worked over three wefts. There are two to three threads per stitch.

Ancient Egyptian textile fragment from Illahun dated AD 395 – 642

Object details

  • Reference: BOLMG:1911.63.4
  • Material: linen wool
  • Period: Coptic Period
  • Excavator: W.M.F. Petrie
  • Dated: AD 395 - 642
  • Object name: textile fragment
  • Dimensions: Length: 432mm , Width: 267mm
  • 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