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A rectangular textile fragment showing two vertical bands in black depicting lions, rabbits, riders, dancers/hunters, birds, and flowers on a yellowed, off-white ground.

The rectangular tunic fragment has two vertical bands of design worked in black on an undyed, heavily yellowed ground fabric. The pattern depicts lions, rabbits, riders, dancers/hunters, birds, and flowers bordered by stripes with a small wave pattern and blocks of color at the bottom edge imitating a fringe.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
1931.49
Title
Tunic Front: Riders and Dancers
Classification
Textile Arts
Work Type
textile
Date
4th-5th century CE
Period
Byzantine period, Early
Culture
Byzantine
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/215297

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Linen and wool, tapestry woven
Technique
Woven, mixed technique
Dimensions
33.66 x 57.15 cm (13 1/4 x 22 1/2 in.)

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Charles Bain Hoyt
Accession Year
1931
Object Number
1931.49
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
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Descriptions

Description
This finely woven textile fragment is either the front or back of a tunic. The two monochrome, tapestry-woven shoulder bands (clavi) contain lions, rabbits, riders, dancers/hunters, birds, and flowers in black against a buff background. The designs are black against an undyed background. Motifs include: a plant with three eight-petalled flowers; a predator-prey pair consisting of a lion, spotted hound, or leopard hunting a rabbit or a gazelle; riders with hands raised upon prancing horses; dancers, some wrapped with sashes and some dangling vines from their hands. While most of the motifs are oriented in the same way in both bands, the riders are paired across the tunic bands and are mirror symmetrical. The bottom edge of this tunic is intact and is marked with a row of vertical black rectangles. A wave scroll borders the bands.
The area between the clavi is plain-woven undyed linen.
This textile sits on a support of light colored plain-woven linen.
Commentary
The subject matter of animals, plants, riders, and dancers relates to the joyful bucolic, villa life of the elite – a common theme for Byzantine textiles.

Exhibition History

  • 32Q: 3740 Egyptian, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 11/20/2019 - 11/15/2021

Verification Level

This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator; it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu