Large fragment of Fatimid tiraz

Large fragment of Fatimid tiraz

Egypt, 9th century

In plain undyed linen, woven with a red linen band of two large kufic inscriptions, arranged in symmetry, with elegant extended verticals containing white squares. Below, a line of circles accompanied by spiral lines, in white and black. On the lower part, a red line and bangs. Framed under glass. 33 x 44 cm without bangs. Inscriptions : Ligne supérieur / top line : - ... al-'alamatin [sic] (?) ... 'ala muhammad khatam ...al-anbiya' (?) - the worlds (?) ... on Muhammad, seal ...the prophets (?) - '... the worlds (?) ... on Muhammad, seal ...the prophets (?)' Ligne inférieure / bottom line : - [bism a]llah al-rahman al-rahim al-malik al-haqq al-mubin - In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the King, the Manifest Truth - 'In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the King, the Manifest Truth' Provenance : Jean-Charles Tauzin Collection (1889-1957) References : For a tiraz with a double inscription also in kufic characters, see Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris, inv. n°35963, reproduced in Purs décors, Arts de l'Islam, regards du XIXe siècle, 2007, cat.18, p. 90. The term "tiraz", derived from the Persian word for embroidery, refers to the decorative bands, whether woven, embroidered or painted, that have embellished turbans and robes of honor since Umayyad times. These textiles were particularly prized under the Abbasid and Fatimid caliphs in the East and in Egypt. Prestigious, made exclusively in royal workshops, they were reserved for sovereigns or given as gifts to distinguished guests or deserving relatives, enjoying the favors of the court as a reward for their services. Most of these pieces bear inscriptions in kufic characters or, from the 11th century onwards, in cursive naskhi script, sometimes mentioning the name of the caliph. A large linen Fatimid "Tiraz" panel, Egypt, 9th century