Fragment of an early antique wall hanging

50 x 50 cm (1' 8" x 1' 8")
Middle East, 4th - 6th century
Condition: fragment, mounted on frame
Published: "Weise Collection - Ambassadors from the Orient", Roland Weise, 2019, page 25
Wool on linen fabric

Very old textiles have survived primarily in arid regions such as the Taklamakan Desert, the Peruvian coast, and Egypt. These were generally grave goods and therefore often consisted of clothing. In Egypt, the overwhelming majority are plain-woven and/or embroidered. More rarely, pile-woven tapestries were included. These hangings frequently depict dancers, figures from Greco-Roman mythology, and biblical characters.
From the meander border at the top, one might conclude that our fabric comes from a register hanging. The famous "Elias" hanging in the Abegg Foundation in Switzerland features a similar border that divides various pictorial panels ("Textiles of the Mediterranean Region," numbers 7 and 10; the latter also in HALI 140, page 63).
The graceful Dorcas gazelle turns toward the figure dressed in green. In ancient Egyptian depictions, these gazelles are often shown being led on a leash by female gift-bearers. During the Pharaonic period, these beautiful animals were associated with regeneration and healing. Whether such ideas have survived from much earlier times is, of course, speculative. Perhaps it simply stands, as in biblical imagery, for feminine beauty, elegance, and grace - something one would certainly wish for in the afterlife.
Such an elaborate, likely quite large wall hanging was certainly intended for a wealthy and important person.

Estimate: € 6000 - 8000