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LOT 0555
Egyptian Coptic Textile Fragment
CIRCA 4TH CENTURY A.D.
3/4 in. (11 grams total including package, 71 mm).
An orbiculus in yellow, green and red wool and coarse linen, on brown linen background, S torsion, embroidered with a stylised hare within a green circle. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1970s-1996.
Property of a North American collector.
London collection, 2016.
Cf. Forrer, R., Die Graeber und Textilfunde von Achmim Panopolis, Strassburg, 1891, pl.VII no.4, for a similar figure.
FootnotesIn early Christian iconography, the hare was a symbol representing primarily the Church hiding in Christ (the ‘rock’ of Psalm 103:18) from a sinful world. This interpretation drew from the Old Testament's description of the hare as a weak creature that makes its lair in the rock, signifying the Church's reliance on Christ for safety. It was also linked to resurrection and fertility.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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