{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O77072"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77072/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE9252/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE9252/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BE9252","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LJ8913","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O77072/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O77072","accessionNumber":"257-1889","objectType":"Textile fragment","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This is a fragment of glazed linen with an  inscription embroidered in red silk. The linen is  plain/tabby weave in undyed linen; approx. 19x15  tpc, S-spun.  Embroidered band: Z-spun with stem  or running stitch with some small horizontal  stitches between upright straight stitches. \n\nIn the Abbasid period (AD750-1258) fabrics, called  tiraz, were made in present day Iraq and Egypt.  Text from the Koran was embroidered across the  fabric with a line of geometric shapes above that  were probably for decoration. The word  came to mean honorific robes with woven  or embroidered inscriptions. Text might also  include information such as the name of the  reigning caliph, place of production and date. This  piece is from the Tulunid period (AD868-905). The  letters are in an angular script called kufic. The  form of embroidery here differs from that seen in  Iraq or Iran (continuous chain stitch). \r\n\r\nThe chief interest of this inscription lies in its early  date (inscriptions of that date being rather rare), on  account of which the absence of the usual wa  (“and”) between the numbers and the spelling  mi’atayn deserves attention.  One might also note  that the year mentioned is that if the reconciliation  of Khumarawayh , prince of Egypt, with his  suzerian al-Mu’tadid, after the house if Tulun, to  which the former belonged, had withheld  allegiance from the Abbasids for some twenty-five  years.  Ab al-‘Abbas Ahmad al-Mu’tadid billah ibn  al Muwaffaq was the sixteenth Abbasid caliph and  resigned at Baghdad from 892/279 until his death  in 902/289.  During his reign Egypt was still in the  hands of the Tulunid dynasty, the first ruler of  which, the celebrated Ahmad ibn Tulun, had a few  years previously thrown off almost entirely his  allegiance to the Abbasids, at most recognising in  them a vague nominal supremacy.  In 895/282 al- Mu’tadid married the daughter of Khumarawayh,  the son of Ahmad ibn Tulun, who had succeeded  his father as ruler of Egypt.  By this means a  reconciliation was effected between suzerain and  vassal whose houses had formerly been  estranged. Khumarawayh’s daughter Qatr al-Nada  (Dewdrop) went in great state to Baghdad and was  there married to al-Mu’tadid in June 895/Rabi’ II  282.  The wedding is famous in Islamic history for  the vast amounts of money spent on her dowry  and on entertainment (in Egypt) by her father.  The  date 895/282 is therefore a significant one when  coupled with the name of al-Mu’tadid and on  material coming from Egypt.","physicalDescription":"This is a fragment of glazed linen with an inscription embroidered in red silk. The linen is plain/tabby weave in undyed linen; approx. 19x15 tpc, S-spun.  Embroidered band: Z-spun with stem or running stitch with some small horizontal stitches between upright straight stitches. It is stained. This piece is from the Tulunid period (AD868-905). The letters are in an angular script called kufic. The form of embroidery here differs from that seen in Iraq or Iran (continuous chain stitch).\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"linen","id":"x29412"},{"text":"silk","id":"AAT14072"}],"techniques":[{"text":"weaving","id":"AAT53642"},{"text":"embroidery","id":"x40351"},{"text":"dyeing","id":"AAT53049"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Embroidered silk on woven linen","categories":[{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Archaeology","id":"THES48874"},{"text":"Death","id":"THES48970"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006BE9252","2019LJ8913"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES306366"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Textile fragment","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. AD890-900","earliest":"0885-01-01","latest":"0900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Rev. Greville J. Chester","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"90","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"165","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"10","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Script","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"‘…Allah aba al-‘Abbas al-Mu’tadid bi-llah amir al-mu’ minin anjazah Allah ma amara bi-fasl sanat ithnayn thamanin mi’atayn’","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"Arabic","medium":"silk thread","method":"embroidered","position":"Centre","script":"","translation":"'…Allah, Abu al'Abbas al-Mu'tadid bi-lla,Commander of the faithful.  May God fulfil  for him that which he commands.  In the season of the year 282'","transliteration":"","type":"1) Decoration 2) Makers's mark","note":"1) Decoration 2) Makers's mark; Arabic; Centre; embroidered; silk thread"}],"objectHistory":"From a cemeterey in Akhmim.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Red silk on undyed linen, tiraz. Egyptian, ca. AD890-900. With Islamic inscription","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Contadini, A. (1998). <u>Fatimid Art at the Victoria & Albert Museum.</u> London: V&A Publications, p.60 plate.13\r\n\r\nEllis, M. (2001). <u>Embroideries and samplers from Islamic Egypt.</u> Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, p.12."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Chester","id":"AUTH338393"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["257-1889"],"accessionNumberNum":"257","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1889,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-18","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-25","availableToBook":true}}