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LOT 0447
Egyptian Mounted Coptic Textile
CIRCA 6TH-7TH CENTURY A.D.
15 x 11 3/4 in. (121 grams, 38 x 30 cm).
Comprising a pair of simple segmenta on a woven background, formed of a spiral line surrounding floral images, closed at both ends by a pair of petals. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1970s-1996.
Property of a North American collector.
London collection, 2016.
Cf. Pritchard, F., Clothing Culture: Dress in Egypt in the First Millennium AD, Manchester, 2006, p.62, fig.4.12, for similar segmenta.
FootnotesThe textile shows a pair of segmenta, probably from a sleeve of a linen tunic. The wool here seems to be Z-spun, a spin direction not very common in Roman Egypt and suggesting that the spun yarn may have been traded from another province of the empire. Frequently, like in our case, the wool is purple in hue.
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Egyptian Faience Amulet with Hieroglyphs
Second Intermediate Period, circa 1650 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
Rectangular amuletic bead with hieroglyphic text to both faces, central cartouche to one face. 1.67 grams, 17 mm
From a family collection formed 1900-1950; by descent circa 1980. -
Egyptian Faience Hieroglyphic Scarab Group
Second Intermediate Period, circa 1650 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £650
Comprising: two white glazed composition with hieroglyphs to the underside; three similar in blue-green. 9.4 grams total, 12-19 mm
From a family collection formed 1900-1950; by descent circa 1980. -
Egyptian Mounted Coptic Textile
Circa 5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
The decorative border from a garment (cloak?), wool weaving on linen and purple, tendril pattern; the wide, undecorated central red purple panel framed with purple wavy tendrils with arrowhead-shaped leaves. 131 grams, 41.5 x 26 cm
Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.
Cloaks and mantles were the main type of outer garments worn by men in late antiquity. They are mentioned in the sources under a variety of names: birrus, caracallus,cucullus, lacerna, sagum, paenula and paludamentum. Unfortunately, despite the fact that cloaks were such important garments they are preserved in far fewer numbers from burials in Egypt than tunics, except as fragments.
