Medallion Depicting Addorsed Amazons on Horseback

7th–mid-8th century

Not on view

While the highest-quality silks produced in the Byzantine and Sasanian periods were intended for a relatively small elite, a broad range of simpler, two-color silks were consumed by those emulating the fashionable set. The design of this textile consists of a roundel, framed by a stylized vine-scroll border, enclosing an addorsed pair of amazons on horseback with drawn bows aimed at rampant felines underfoot. This silk was certainly of the type affordable to local elites, who used small amounts of the precious textile to adorn otherwise simple tunics.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Medallion Depicting Addorsed Amazons on Horseback
Date: 7th–mid-8th century
Geography: Made in Syria
Medium: Silk; samite (weft-faced compound twill)
Dimensions: Textile: L. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm)
W. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm)
Mount: H. 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm)
W. 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm)
D. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm)
Classification: Textiles-Woven
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1927
Object Number: 27.58.1
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Roundel with Central Asian-style "Candelabra Tree", Silk; samite — Roundel with Central Asian-style "Candelabra Tree"
7th–9th century

Vase with Five Discs, Glass, colorless; blown, applied trail, applied stamped medallions — Vase with Five Discs
8th century

Tiraz Textile Fragment, Cotton, ink, and gold; plain weave, resist-dyed (ikat), painted<br/>Inscription: black ink and gold leaf; painted — Tiraz Textile Fragment
late 9th–early 10th century

Tiraz Textile Fragment, Silk; plain weave, embroidered — Tiraz Textile Fragment
10th century

Fragment of an Imported Chinese Bowl, Earthenware; applied relief medallion under three color (sancai) glaze — Fragment of an Imported Chinese Bowl
late 7th–first half 8th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.