Sleeve Cuff with Vines
5th-7th century
Description
The textile's dimensions and its design of parallel bands suggests it comes from the sleeve of a linen tunic. A tapestry woven band consists of two parallel purple scrolling vines with stylized leaves and tendrils. The leaves all point in the same direction, towards the right in what would have been the fragment’s orientation on the tunic sleeve. Thicker areas of purple mark the beginning and ends of the vines, as is common in the design of sleeve bands. There are several inches of plain/tabby woven undyed linen fabric above and below the tapestry band; these give a sense of the appearance of the original tunic. Warps were left open before and after the purple vines as a decorative detail. Between the areas of open warp are several rows of plain weave.
Dimensions
32.68 x 21.75 cm (12 7/8 x 8 9/16 in.)
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