Many ancient textiles have been recovered in Egypt, where the dry climate contributed to their excellent state of preservation. Some of these fabrics, notably silks from Antinoë and 'Coptic' linens decorated with wool, are striking works of art. This vibrantly colored wool fragment illustrating a ram, was acquired in Egypt, and it is closely related in weave and design to 'Coptic' textiles. Significant details in the iconography however, relate it to works made in Sasanian Iran and Mesopotamia in the mid-first millennium. Such details include the neck ribbons, signifying the animal's association with the royal court; the frontal horns; the striding pose; and the articulation of the body. By the sixth century the influence of Sasanian motifs was widespread, and it is apparent in the art of the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and farther Asian worlds. Regrettably no remains of original Sasanian figured textiles are preserved in excavations in Mesopotamia or Iran, and speculation continues concerning the place of manufacture of the Sasanian-style textiles found in Egypt and Central Asia and other examples preserved in European church treasuries. This textile fragment beautifully illustrates both the stylizations that characterize certain fabrics in the sixth to eighth centuries and the strikingly colorful effect that must have contributed to the wide popularity of these works of art.
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<P>Many ancient textiles have been recovered in Egypt, where the dry climate contributed to their excellent state of preservation. Some of these fabrics, notably silks from Antinoë and 'Coptic' linens decorated with wool, are striking works of art. This vibrantly colored wool fragment illustrating a ram, was acquired in Egypt, and it is closely related in weave and design to 'Coptic' textiles. Significant details in the iconography however, relate it to works made in Sasanian Iran and Mesopotamia in the mid-first millennium. Such details include the neck ribbons, signifying the animal's association with the royal court; the frontal horns; the striding pose; and the articulation of the body. By the sixth century the influence of Sasanian motifs was widespread, and it is apparent in the art of the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and farther Asian worlds. Regrettably no remains of original Sasanian figured textiles are preserved in excavations in Mesopotamia or Iran, and speculation continues concerning the place of manufacture of the Sasanian-style textiles found in Egypt and Central Asia and other examples preserved in European church treasuries. This textile fragment beautifully illustrates both the stylizations that characterize certain fabrics in the sixth to eighth centuries and the strikingly colorful effect that must have contributed to the wide popularity of these works of art.</P>
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