This rare silk symbolized the imperial power of the Muslim rulers in medieval Spain. In roundels framed with winged animals and precious pearl borders, a man is shown strangling lions with his arms. The word "power" in the elegant Arabic inscription band reinforces the mighty lion-strangler, who was derived from ancient Near Eastern imagery. This textile is part of an esteemed group of 12th-century silks based on its distinctive weave, the colors of the silk thread-crimson and green design on an ivory ground-and the select use of gold thread for the man's face, hands, belt, and feet, plus the lions' faces. The fragment was part of a rich set of vestments with Islamic designs found in the late 19th century in the tomb of Saint Bernard Calvo, Bishop of Vich (1233-1243), which is located near Barcelona, Spain.
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<P>This rare silk symbolized the imperial power of the Muslim rulers in medieval Spain. In roundels framed with winged animals and precious pearl borders, a man is shown strangling lions with his arms. The word "power" in the elegant Arabic inscription band reinforces the mighty lion-strangler, who was derived from ancient Near Eastern imagery. This textile is part of an esteemed group of 12th-century silks based on its distinctive weave, the colors of the silk thread-crimson and green design on an ivory ground-and the select use of gold thread for the man's face, hands, belt, and feet, plus the lions' faces. The fragment was part of a rich set of vestments with Islamic designs found in the late 19th century in the tomb of Saint Bernard Calvo, Bishop of Vich (1233-1243), which is located near Barcelona, Spain. </p>
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