Fragment of a Band or Border

late 600s–800s

Egypt, Umayyad period (661–750) or Abbasid period

(750–1258)

Medium

Wool and linen: tapestry weave

Measurements

Overall: 12.7 x 21.8 cm (5 x 8 9/16 in.)

Credit Line

Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1982.110

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

The warp is undyed linen, and the weft is wool for the polychrome and linen for the white.

Description

This lively hunting scene features a central figure grappling with a lion. He is flanked by hunters on horseback brandishing swords. The swirling clothing of the hunters and the dynamic poses of the animals give a sense of movement to the band. The entire scene is bordered with a vibrant floral design. Hunting was a popular artistic theme in pre-Islamic traditions, including Sasanian and Assyrian art, and was then adopted into Islamic artistic vernacular.