Silk Robe Fragment
7-8th Century CE
Silk
The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, TXT 245
This silk robe fragment comes from Central Asia, most likely Iran. The production and trade of silks linked Western Europe all the way to Eastern Asia, with the Islamic world in the middle. Great skill and workmanship were required to produce such high quality textiles. The medallions on this fragment show winged horses drinking with a tree in the background, arranged on a beaded grid. Islamic silks were very precious and meaningful to many different cultures, and often showed some political or institutional status significance through the patterns. These patterns would then inspire the fashion of silk robes for everyone. Extravagant silk robe fashion was a way to show one’s wealth and status in court or in their everyday leisure life. This robe, bearing no specific religious or political significance, could have been worn in everyday leisure activities, such as social gatherings or family events.