Wrapping fragments BM EA78727

Find spot (context): Kulubnarti (Sudanese Nubia). Cemetery 21-R-2, Burial 36 (funerary). Field registration number: Cloth 117A, 117 B. Categorized as "fabric types B and F".

Dating: Early Christian Period (600-850 CE).

Present location: British Museum, London. Inventory number EA78727.
Donated by W.Y. Adams/University of Kentucky, Museum of Anthropology in 2005. Previous inventory number UKMA 93.1.117A,B.

Dimensions (in cm): 13x16.5 [a+b], 11x16 [c]

Weave: Weft-faced tabby.

Decoration: None [a]. Red bands on dark brown ground [b]. Dark blue (purple?) ground [c].

Warp (fibre, twist, color, proportion):
Piece [a]
- wool
- S
- undyed
- 6 threads/cm

Piece [b]
- wool
- S
- dark brown
- 6 threads/cm

Piece [c]
- wool
- S
- dark red
- 7 threads/cm

Weft (fibre, twist, color, proportion):
Piece [a]
- wool
- S
- undyed
- 32 picks/cm

Piece [b]
- wool
- S
- dark brown, red
- 24 picks/cm

Piece [c]
- wool
- S
- blue
- 14 picks/cm

Other features: The main piece is made of [a] and [b] attached by stitching with Z2s dark brown thread. The third piece [c] is a rare example of the use of red warp and blue weft, probably to obtain a colour closer to purple.

Documentation: British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA7872
Textile seen in January 2017 (MM Wozniak).

Analysis: n.c.

Production: Nubian