Ancient Abstraction in Textiles from Late Roman Egypt
Curated by Nicola Barham, Assistant Curator of Ancient Art
“Ancient art” can bring to mind white marble portraits of serious old men. Yet most images in the ancient world were highly colorful. Even Roman marble portraits were originally painted. Lifelike representations were also not the only popular style. In these clothing fragments from late Roman Egypt, we see a taste for bright, abstract representations of people and animals which is rarely discussed. These highly ornate textiles are likely to have been among the wearers’ very best clothes in life, and were chosen to adorn them in death.
A longstanding scholarly preference for classical naturalism means these popular colorful designs with stylized horsemen are often dated late, to after the fall of Rome in the fifth century CE. Yet this date relies heavily on old assumptions connecting abstract style to political collapse. The Kelsey Museum plans to scientifically date some of its ancient clothing fragments in the coming years. Some may be even centuries earlier than scholars have thought.
Wool and linen textile fragment depicting horses and riders
Roman Egypt
5th–6th century CE, possibly earlier
Purchased in Egypt by Aziz Atiya, 1953
KM 91061
Abstract and colorfully depicted mounted warriors fill this textile fragment, charging down upon an enemy on foot. One thrusts a spear while two seem to play wind instruments or possibly shoot behind them from weapons they blow with their mouths. The abstract style adds to the drama: the armed riders closely resemble each other, in form, composition, and with a tightly inverted color palette, suggesting how they function as a unit. Meanwhile, a captured enemy splays out his arms and legs in an x-shape, vividly communicating surrender.
Wool textile fragment depicting a horse and rider
Roman Egypt
5th–6th century CE, possibly earlier
Purchased in Egypt by Aziz Atiya, 1953
KM 90782
On the red band of this tunic, a rider charges on a horse that wears a blue suit of armor topped with horns. Three of the five stylized people in the path of the horse raise their arms, perhaps in prayer or distress. To the left of this scene, the designs are so highly abstract that it is difficult to be certain if they are figures or patterned designs. Is there a winged figure with a halo and outstretched arms in the black roundel? Many late Roman Egyptian textiles push the boundary between representation and surface design in this way.
Wool and linen textile fragment depicting a warhorse
Roman Egypt
5th–6th century CE, possibly earlier
Purchased in Egypt from Phocion Tano, 1953
KM 94443
The fantastic beast pictured on this textile looks at first glance like a dark blue, flowery, polka-dot rhinoceros. This is very unexpected in ancient art. If we look closely, there is more to see. First, the horn on the creature's head is like those of the horses on the other textiles in this case. They are part of the armor warhorses often wear on late Roman Egyptian textiles. Even more curious is the blue flowery fabric that forms the body. It is not original to this piece but was stitched in later. Nineteenth- and twentieth-century dealers in antiquities could be ruthless in their desire for profit. Here one has sewn in a different scrap of ancient fabric to complete the body of the horse that had worn away.
Color Your Own Fantastic Beasts
Click the image at left to download a coloring page based on KM 91061, the textile fragment depicting horses and riders.
Find even more coloring pages based on Kelsey Museum artifacts on the Kelsey@Home page.
