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Islamic

Fragment

Fatimid period (969–1171)
Linen, tapestry weave
12.7 × 15.2 cm (5 × 6 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

This fragment’s open, gauzy weave is a feature of Tiraz fabrics from Fatimid Egypt. Documents from the time describe textiles such as this one as having linen weaves as “thin as air.” In their complete form, Tiraz fabrics consisted almost entirely of this delicate linen weave, with a few bands of tapestry weaving at the edge, as seen here.

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