Some Coptic shawls

This shawl is from between the 3rd and 4th century C.E. The Egyptian shawl is plain weave linen, with a tapestry weave decoration sewn on. The size of the shawl is 70 cm by 45 cm. It is currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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This shawl has been tapestry woven with wool and linen between the 8th and 9th century. It is 21.9 cm by 33 cm. It is also has Coptic script on it, as opposed to tiraz bands with Arabic. It is currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Also made between the 8th and 9th century, this particular shawl is wool, tapestry woven with linen decorations. There is also Coptic script. It is 33 cm high by 79.4 cm wide. It is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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This shawl is much like the others- wool and linen tapestry woven with Coptic script. However by this stage there were also Arabic tiraz becoming the fashion from the Abbasid and Fatimid Empires. The shawl is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A 12th-14th century Egyptian tunic

This tunic was thought to have been made between 1100-1399 C.E. which covers the Fatimid and Ayyubid rulers of Egypt. The shirt is embroidered linen. Unfortunately there is no other information on the Victoria & Albert Museum website. The item is currently not being shown. Scrolling in it is possible to see that the motifs look like fish and “lollywrappers”. Both of those motifs look to be done in pattern darning with a little running stitch highlighting the seams.

The construction of the shirt is the same as the shirt previously mentioned in the post “An Egyptian Child’s tunic from the Mamluk Period”. That shirt can be found in the Ashmolean Museum.

Kohl containers

This is a Fatimid rock crystal Kohl container, made between 939–1010 C.E. The jar would have had a glass rod in it, to apply the Kohl, which was made out of burnt frankincense, almond shells or Safflower plants. This is a Mamluk ivory inlaid with niello Kohl container, made between the 14th–15th century. The applicator was attached by chain. This is an Ottoman cast silver Kohl bottle. It is dated to 1594 C.E. and was hammered and incised. The applicator stick was attached to the bottle with a chain, through the “tail” of the bird.

Taken from Museum With No Frontiers website.

Fatimid chess pieces

This alabaster chess set is thought to have come from Fatimid Egypt or Syria in the 11th-12th centuries. The largest piece is 3.8cm high, carved from a single piece of alabaster with fluting. The set has three pawns, two kings (or queens), two knights and two and a half castles (the third is damaged). The sides are differentiated by lapis lazuli and coral insets in the top of the pieces. The pieces were sold by Christies for £59,750 ($86,458).

Other tiraz

This first tiraz is thought to be a turban end. Made in 983-984 CE in the Caliphate of Al-’Aziz. A detailed picture-
The piece is 49.5 cm long and 151.1 cm wide. It is made of tabby woven linen with silk tapestry ornamentation. Currently in the Cleveland Museum of Art.

This second tiraz is also thought to be a turban end made in the year 1008-9, in the Caliphate of Al- Hakim. A more detailed picture-
Another tabby linen with silk tapestry ornamentation. It is 19.1 cm long and 24.5 cm wide. Currently in the Cleveland Museum of Art.
This third tiraz band is linen tabby-weave with in-woven silk tapestry ornamentation. The tiraz was made in 1058-59, in the Caliphate of Al-Mustansir. The height of the extant is 22.25 cm and the width is 27.3 cm. Currently in the Cleveland Museum of Art.

There are many tiraz pieces in the Cleveland Museum of Art but none of them seem to have been translated. Please let me know if you have a translation or can translate!

Fatimid turban embroidery

This is an embroidered turban end with tiraz. The tiraz gives the exact date of 1031 CE (or 422 AH) during the Fatimid Caliphate of Ali al-Zahir.

The height is 29.1 cm and width is 54.6 cm, with tassels at the end. The base material is a linen tabby weave with in-woven silk tapestry ornamentation. It is currently in the Cleveland Museum of Art. Unfortunately while the tiraz can give an exact date, there is not translation of the tiraz given. Please let me know if you have one.

Islamic amulets

This is a block printed 11th century Egyptian amulet. There seems to be no translation available for the above amulet but they are all prayers for help and quotes from the Qur’an. This amulet is ink on paper, in the kufic script, height 23 cm and width 8.4 cm. It also has the six-pointed star (the Star of David), known as the Seal of Solomon. The paper is currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. This was used in other countries and time periods, like the Maronites (please see the Maronite Mummies post).

The ring is also in the Heilbrunn Tineline of Art History but is is a ring from Iran. Made in the 16th century, it is of cast and chased gold with carved nephrite, height 3.5 cm and diametre of 2.5 cm. This does have a translation. The ring says-

Call upon ‘Ali whose miracles manifest,
you will find his help in times of misfortune
All anguish and sorrow will dissipate
Through your friendship
Oh ‘Ali Oh ‘Ali Oh ‘Ali

The ring calls upon Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad.

This shirt is in the Topkapi Palace Museum. Worn in battle, it is ink on stiffened cotton. It contains prayers to Ali (see above) as well as Qur’an verses. These are similar to other talismanic shirts from India of the same time period.
Bibliography
Binding words: textual amulets in the Middle Ages by Don C. Skemer. Via Google Books.
Hamsa by Menachem Wecker. On My Jewish Learning.
Amulets and Talismans from the Islamic World by Yasmine Al-Saleh. On Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.
Islam and the Arts of the Ottoman Empire by Brian Hogarth. Via Google Docs.
Images of the Human Hand as Amulets in Spain by W. L. Hildburgh. JStor article.
Medieval Arabic Ṭarsh: A Forgotten Chapter in the History of Printing by Richard W. Bulliet. JStor article.

An ivory boy dancer

This ivory is from Egypt, 11th-12th century or Fatimid Egypt. The boy is dancing with veils in front of a man drinking. This ivory still has some paint on it, showing it would have been coloured.

Currently in the Louvre.

More Fatimid jewelry

A Egyptian silver and silver gilt necklace from the 12th century. The length is 30¾in. or 78.1cm. Sold at Christies for £3,750 or $7,631.

Found in Syria, the place of production is thought to be Egypt, 900-1100. Made from gold filigree and black pitch. The whole earring is 3.5cm high, with a depth of 1.6cm and a width of 1.5cm. Can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Found in Cairo and thought to be made there, it is pierced and embossed gold, with two holes at the back for a string. Very late Fatimid period, into Ayyubid and Mamluk, date of 1100 to 1400. The rosette has a height of 2.8 cm, a width of 2.9 cm and a depth of 0.7 cm. Also found in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Bibliography
Fāṭimid Jewelry, Its Subtypes and Influences by Marilyn Jenkins. JStor article.
Three Trousseaux of Jewish Brides from the Fatimid Period by Shelomo Dov Goitein. JStor article.
Mamluk Jewelry: Influences and Echoes by Marilyn Jenkins. JStor article.

A Fatimid dancer

This naked dancer holds a lute in her left hand, as well as the usual wine paraphernalia seen in pictures of dancers. She is only dressed in jewelry- a pair of bracelets, a pair of armlets, and a pair of anklets. Tattoos are visible, but not sure if they would have been henna tattoos. Her hair is in four braids.

The picture is ink and watercolour on paper, 11th century. Found in Fustat (Cairo). The height is 28.5cm, the width is 18cm. The picture can be found in the Israel Museum.