Apollonia's Projects

Byzantine and Near Eastern
Textiles, Embellishments and Coptic Tapestry Weaving

Other links and references will be included here as I research individual clothing styles of the area.  Links may be removed later if I determine they are not appropriate. 

Significant cross over information is found between my fashion, garments and textiles, embellishments research.

Note: Significantly more complete extant garments and fragments originate in Egypt during the time of the Copts (3rd-7th c.)  The intensely dry climate of Egypt has preserved fabrics covering the those buried. 

You may argue that Coptic finds are not an accurate representation of the clothing worn in and around Byzantium, but from what I have read I am convinced they are.

Coptic Fabrics.  Rutschowscaya, Marie-Hélène. Coptic Fabrics. Editions Adam Biro: Paris. 1990. 

Excellent book. Highly Recommended.

The Coptic Tapestry Albums & the Archaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet by Nancy Arthur Hoskins.

Outstanding book.  If you only get one, get this one.

"Medieval Garments in the Mediterranean Worlds" by Veronika Gervers

Why Egyptian Finds are valuable and the problem of grave goods

Large numbers of the textiles that remain--including complete garments--come to us from Egyptian sites.  Apparently, the climate and conditions were such that textiles from graves have been remarkably well preserved in comparison to other locales of the time.  This condition and the international scope of of Egyptian finds are the reasons textiles from this area and time are to be considered (Gervers pg 280, 282)

Also, "the dead were seldom buried in the best garments.  Such grave goods as tunics, shrouds and curtains frequently show signs of wear and of ancient repairs.  Applied tapestry-woven ornaments sometimes appear to have belonged to older clothes....The custom of burying the dead in valuable dress was criticized by...early church fathers...In view of the prices paid for garments, such an attitude may be quite understandable." (Gervers pg 288) [The author includes several lists that compare wages and prices according to the edit of Diocletian, AD 301 to support her comment.]

"It would seem, therefore, that the finest and most valued garments were not in fact put into the graves at all, but were passed on and worn from generation to generation.  Costume formed part of the estate left in prominent families." (Gervers pg 289)

Garment and Decoration Styles

Fine late antique examples, "retain the tendencies of Hellenistic illusionism and are replete with elements of pagan mythology, while the later pieces demonstrate the misunderstood disintegration of this international style and lead eventually to the creation of a folk art, the real "Coptic' art.  (Gervers pg 281)

"Costume and textile decoration incorporated expressions of Christianity such as crosses and biblical scenes from at least the fourth century.  Subsequently the arrival of the Arabs introduced...[a] more oriental garment ...The Egyptian materials from the early Islamic period [(640-969)] provides sufficient grounds for us to conclude that many types of antique and early Christian garments and decorative ideas survived at the same time as new styles were being integrated." (Gervers pg 281)

See Also: Silk [Pattern] Descriptions from the catalogue of the Byzantine Exhibit at the British Museum "Byzantium: Treasures of Byzantine Art and Culture" ed. David Buckton

Fabrics

From Gervers Table 16.2 and 16.3

Linen: first-quality, second-quality, third-quality, coarse yard for the use of common peoples and slaves (again, three qualities)
Wool: from specific locations (most expensive, presumably of the highest quality), for warm clothing, of second quality, of third quality
Silk: plain fabrics: part silk, unpatterned silk
Silk: patterned fabrics:  silk in diamond weave, brocade-maker working in gold first and second quality, tapestry-woven decoration or 'embroidery' in gold file for all silk fabrics first and second quality
Silk: shirt ornaments: part silk and all silk
 

"It is significant that silk, an expensive luxury fabric, is almost non-existent among the grave goods of the late antique and early Christian/Byzantine periods.  At the same time, documentary evidence shows that silk was not only widely known in the Roman world, but that silk textiles were actually woven in several cities of the Empire (Tables 16.2-16.4)"  (Gervers pg 296)

"The documents of the Cairo Geniza illustrate the even the middle class wore silk."   (Gervers pg 298)

Tapestry Woven Ornaments & Trims

Fibers

Gervers tells us tapestry-woven ornaments were executed in: 

Silk
Silk and gold filé
Gold filé alone/kasab (rare): Known during the Islamic times--9th century onward  (Gervers pg 297-298).  If modern Kasab is the same, it is a gold or silver thread. 
Fine wool: Tapestry-woven decoration or 'embroidery' in wool  (Gervers Table 16.3)
Linen
Mixtures of silk and purple wool
(pg 296 and Table 16.3)   The value of these special textiles is shown in Diocletion's edict (Tables 16.1 through 16.5)

..."It is hardly surprising that woolen tapestries from the majority of the archeological finds, and many silk patterns can reconstructed only through woolen imitations or from artistic representations....Less than one dozen of the so-called Coptic textiles housed in collections today are know to exhibit tapestry-woven ornaments worked entirely in silk, or in a mixture of silk or purple wool and gold filé." (Gervers pg 296)

Further she tells us that kasab and silk tapestry-woven decoration worked on a linen ground were well represented in Fatimid finds [second half of the tenth century to the second half of the twelfth century], but hardly anything has survived from garments made of compound and striped silks even though they must have been quite common in this period.  (pg 298)

Tapestry Ornaments Woven Directly into Garments

Evidence for ornaments woven directly into the garments upon their original making are a plenty.  The majority of Coptic textiles showing ornamentation are of this tapestry weaving type.  A few examples available online are included in The Basics of Byzantine Dress c. 1000 A.D.

Applied Tapestry Woven Ornaments

Evidence exists for the reuse of woven-in decorations (cut away from an original background and applied to new garments) and for the weaving and application of new decorations on new garments.

Ornament Fragments

It is unknown to me if these fragments were woven into larger pieces or applied.

Tapestry Weaving: How to do it

   

 ©2005Apollonia Voss Last Updated: Sunday, 25. January 2009
Email:ApolloniaNOSPAMvoss@comcast.net