Roundel with Amazons and a Cross

Byzantine

Not on view

This silk fragment features two bare-breasted Amazons, or female warriors, who aim arrows at the rampant lions beneath their horses’ hooves. It is possible to trace the long popularity of this ancient iconography thanks to the large surviving numbers of similar silks in various colors and quality of weave. This example features a tiny cross at the top and bottom of the circular frame filled with heart shapes and vegetal patterns.

Roundel with Amazons and a Cross, Weft-faced compound twill (samit) in green, beige, and brownish silk, Byzantine

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