Artwork Page for Fragment (of a Shroud?) with Inscription

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Fragment (of a Shroud?) with Inscription

before 1982

Iran or Iraq, in the style of the Abbasid period

(750–1258)
Medium
Silk: lampas weave
Measurements
Overall: 42 x 74 cm (16 9/16 x 29 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1982.280
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Description

This fragment, which possibly was part of a shroud, has wide horizontal bands of birds and fish alternating with narrow double bands of inscription. The text reads in both orthograde and retrograde: "Oh Lord! Even though my sins may be very great, I know that Thy forgiveness is greater." Bands are alternately blue and tan with design in white. A portion of selvage is preserved at right and a starting edge at bottom.
Multiple irregular silk fragments feature horizontal bands of repeating birdlike figures and rows of angular Kufic script (see "Inscriptions"). Light tan and blue sections alternate, displaying tan birds against blue backgrounds and vice versa. Significant chunks are missing, leaving frayed edges and large gaps across the textile. Script bands cut across the composition, while the largest sections at the bottom depict rows of birds perched within alternating color fields.

Fragment (of a Shroud?) with Inscription

before 1982

Iran or Iraq, in the style of the Abbasid period (750–1258)

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