Egyptian Mounted Coptic Textile with Lion Chasing a Bird
Circa 5th-7th century A.D. Comprising a tendril pattern with enclosing a frieze of a lion chasing a bird, the spaces between the figures filled with squares. Cf. Wulff,O. & W.F.Volbach, Spätantike und koptische Stoffe aus ägyptischen Grabfunden in den Staatlichen Museen Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum / Ägyptisches Museum Schliemann-Sammlung, Berlin, 1926, no.9021, p.49, for similar textile. 46 grams, 26 x 17 cm (10 1/4 x 6 3/4 in.).

Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016. Tapestry technique of wool and linen in purple. It is highly probable that this tapestry was part of a tunic decoration, a double segmentum, applied on the wrists of the garment and decorating the lower part of the sleeves. [No Reserve]