Qasab fragment with ducks and parrots Gauzy linen tabby with silk and gold tapestry Egypt Mid-11th century 980.78.111.A Wilkinson Collection, Gift of Albert and Federico Friedberg.

TORONTO.- Cairo Under Wraps: Early Islamic Textiles, a Centennial exhibition on view at the Royal Ontario Museum, highlights the ROM’s collection of early Islamic textiles, dating largely from the 8th to 12th centuries. More than half of the exhibition’s approximately 80 fabrics are on public display for the first time and many of the oldest were collected by C.T. Currelly, the ROM`s founding director. These rare, delicate objects are displayed alongside ceramics, glass, metalwork and coins from the ROM’s permanent collection of Islamic art. 

Cairo Under Wraps looks at Islam’s early history and culture through textiles from the first six centuries of Muslim rule. The exhibition illustrates that while earlier civilizations used human figures to convey religious and political messages, Islam used Arabic script as a means of communication and as a primary symbol of the new religious faith. On display are “tiraz” textiles, some of which recorded historical information such as a ruler’s name, date, and place of manufacture. Others conveyed simple expressions of religious faith or simulated Arabic script for decorative purposes. 

Exhibition highlights include a rare linen tabby fragment decorated with in-woven silk and gold tapestry bands. Likely the end of a turban cloth, the rope-like design running through the decorative band was highly popular in Egypt inthe 12th century. Other notable objects include a linen tabby with silk tapestry decoration dating to mid- 11th century Egypt that features Arabic letters transformed into Nilotic boats, and a stonepaste bowl from late-11th century western Syria decorated with a seated musician dressed in a garment with tiraz bands. 

Knowledge about textiles from the early days of Islam comes mainly from Egypt, where fragile materials, including linen, cotton, wool, and silk have been preserved in the dry soil as burial shrouds. These luxury fabrics were likely first used as clothing (such as turbans and robes) and furnishing fabrics (such as curtains and cushion covers). These textiles tell the story of Islam’s far-reaching global trade and taste for high-quality luxury goods. 

The exhibition is curated by Anu Liivandi, Assistant Curator (Textiles & Fashions); Dr. Karin Ruehrdanz, Senior Curator (Islamic Decorative Arts); and Dr. Lisa Golombek, Curator Emeritus (Islamic Art). 

Cairo Under Wraps is on display until January 25, 2015 in the Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles & Costume. The exhibition shares the gallery with Fashion Follows Form: Designs for Sitting, featuring fashions from Toronto-based designer Izzy Camilleri whose IZ Adaptive designs are among the first in the world created exclusively for women and men who use wheelchairs. Displayed with Camilleri’s designs are 18th and 19th century fashions from the ROM’s renowned collection, also created for a seated, L-shaped body. 

Cairo Under Wraps: Early Islamic Textiles 

What we know about textiles from the early days of Islam comes primarily from Egypt, where fragile materials—linen, cotton, wool, silk—have been preserved in the dry soil as burial shrouds. 

This exhibition displays t extiles from the first six centuries of Muslim rule, mostly made in Egypt but also imported from other quarters of the Muslim world — Iraq, Iran, and Yemen. The textiles tell a story of wide-ranging global trade and a taste for high-quality luxury goods. 

Some of the material on display was collected by Charles Trick Currelly, the founding director of the ROM. In this our centennial year, which is also the year that another major cultural institution — the Aga Khan Museum — will be opening in Toronto, we celebrate by featuring the ROM’s collection of Early Islamic textiles. 

Ikat shawl with embroidered inscription. Cotton tabby with warp ikat pattern and embroidery, Yemen, 10th century, 963.95.9. Royal Ontario Museum

This shawl has warp ikat patterning of splashed arrows arranged in 15 panels by white warp stripes. The bottom has a twisted warp fringe. Near the fringe is a single word (undeciphered) in tiny letters. The embroidered kufic inscription repeats: 'In the name of Allah; dominion belongs to Allah.'

Ikat shawl with painted inscription. Cotton tabby with warp ikat pattern, ink, gold leaf, Yemen, 10th century, 970.364.19. Royal Ontario Museum

This example has warp stripes in brown, blue and white, typical of the famous medieval ikats from Yemen. Areas of colour with fuzzy contours are telltale signs of ikat. Across the width, a gold leaf inscription outlined in black ink exhibits a flamboyant floriated and plaited kufic style. To the right of the inscription is a complex knot. The text reads: 'In the name of Allah, may Allah bless Muhammad.'

Fragment of a shawl or turban cloth. Linen tabby with silk tapestry, Dumyat (present day Damietta), Egypt, 1021-1022, 970.364.2. Royal Ontario Museum

The scale of decoration, the gauzy weave of the ground fabric, and the fringe at the bottom are typical of either a shawl or turban cloth. The inscription repeats on either side of a trellis pattern band, beginning at opposite ends. The Arabic letters have narrow staves that end in wedges. Wispy tendrils spring from the letters or float in the background. A tiny, illegible inscription rides the crest of the inscription band.

Monumental tiraz inscription. Gauzy linen tabby with silk tapestry, Egypt, 952–976, 963.95.5. Royal Ontario Museum

This inscription begins with the Basmala (In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate) and the first words of the title of the Fatimid Caliph, al-Mu‘izz (952–976). The kufic letters have terminals resembling leaves and tendrils. Letters which normally form an arc below the baseline are carried upward, taking the shape of a swan’s neck (the nun at the end of the word, al-rahman)Inscription: Bismi [llah] al-rahman al-rahim Ma‘add Abu [Tamim ...].

Tiraz fragment. Glazed linen tabby with silk embroidery, Iraq, 907 - 933. 978.76.67 Abemayor Collection, Gift of Albert and Federico Friedberg. Royal Ontario Museum

Letters are carefully designed to fit into one another, like pieces in a puzzle. The calligrapher has also added leaves and transformed some letters into flowers. Inscription: [blessings...]...to Abd Allah Jafar al-imam al-Muqtadir billah, Commander of the Faithful, may Allah support him, from what was ordered by the vizier [Ali?]...

 The Coptic Legacy 

Christian Egyptians were known as Copts. They continued to dominate the textile industry after the Muslim conquest of Egypt, working in the materials and techniques most familiar to them. Imported silks from Sasanian Iran and Byzantium, woven on the drawloom, were copied in linen and wool using the much simpler technique of tapestry-weaving. 

The production of textiles under Muslim rule saw Coptic weavers gradually adapt to the new tiraz style. Familiar with Roman and Byzantine designs, they were responsible for introducing these into the Islamic art of Egypt. Often the imagery includes Christian motifs, such as the cross or figures with arms held out in prayer (orans). 

Generic hunting scene. Linen and wool tapestry, Egypt, 4th - 5th century. 910.131.36. Walter Massey Collection. Royal Ontario Museum

Hunting motifs and inhabited plant scrolls appear frequently in Roman art, denoting abundance and prosperity. This Coptic tapestry is also given an early date because of its classical motifs, naturalistic proportions, attempts at perspective and lively movement

Praying saint. Linen and wool tapestry, Egypt, 7th - 8th century. 980.78.27. Wilkinson Collection, Gift of Albert and Federico Friedberg. Royal Ontario Museum

A female saint wearing elaborate Byzantine court dress is depicted with a halo and both arms raised in prayer. The static frontal pose and greater degree of abstraction are characteristic of a date after the Arab conquest.

Leopards flanking a tree. Wool and linen tapestry, Egypt, 8th - 9th century. 978.76.136 Abemayor Collection, Gift of Albert and Federico Friedberg. Royal Ontario Museum

Judging by similar pieces in other collections, this is part of a hanging with roundels containing four animals flanking a stylized tree. It shows the influence of contemporary drawloom-woven silks with reverse repeats

Castor and Pollux at the hunt. Linen and wool tapestry, Egypt, 5th century. 910.131.8. Walter Massey Collection. Royal Ontario Museum

This inscription begins with the Basmala (In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate) and the first words of the title of the Fatimid Caliph, al-Mu‘izz (952–976). The kufic letters have terminals resembling leaves and tendrils. Letters which normally form an arc below the baseline are carried upward, taking the shape of a swan’s neck (the nun at the end of the word, al-rahman)Inscription: Bismi [llah] al-rahman al-rahim Ma‘add Abu [Tamim ...].

Pseudo-inscription and medallion band. Linen tabby with wool tapestry Fayyum, Egypt, 9th century. 975.403.5. Royal Ontario Museum

Hexagonal medallions containing a bird alternate with pairs of leaves. The simple kufic-style band below simulates Arabic script, inspired by tiraz textiles

Crowned female figure from a hanging. Wool and linen tapestry, Egypt, 7th - 8th century. 980.78.6; Wilkinson Collection, Gift of Albert and Federico Friedberg Royal Ontario Museum

The mural crown identifies this as a Roman city goddess and the finely modelled features reflect the naturalism of Roman painting. However, the garment trimmed with bands of drawloom-woven silk and the jewelled necklace draw inspiration from later Sasanian and Byzantine art.

Band with floral roundels. Linen and wool tapestry, Egypt, 7th - 8th century. 910.130.15. Walter Massey Collection.

This band was probably used to trim a garment, as depicted in the previous example. The design has been inspired by slightly later silks in which the roundels are larger and woven in several colours.

Band with ibex and birds surrounding a tree. Wool and cotton tapestry, Egypt or Iraq, 7th - 9th century. 970.364.10. Royal Ontario Museum

Panels with highly stylized ibex and addorsed (back-to-back) birds recall Sasanian silks. The ibex wears a jewelled neckband with floating ribbons, symbolic of royal ownership. The use of cotton instead of linen is more characteristic of West Asia than Egypt at this early date.

Inhabited scroll. Wool tabby with wool and linen tapestry, Egypt, 8th - 10th century. 910.129.54 Walter Massey Collection. Royal Ontario Museum

The plant scroll framing birds and animals is familiar from earlier examples, but the linear quality of the plant and the elongated compartments it forms are characteristic of a date after the Islamic conquest

 Royal figures. Linen and wool tapestry, Egypt, 8th - 9th century. 980.78.104 .Wilkinson Collection, Gift of Albert and Federico Friedberg. Royal Ontario Museum

The material and technique are particularly fine, but the extreme abstraction of the style makes it difficult to identify the motifs — apparently a royal figure with attendants, framed by a pearl border.

Long-legged birds in pearl roundels.Wool and cotton weft-faced compound twill, Iran or Iraq, 7th - 9th century. 970.364.12.Royal Ontario Museum

This drawloom-woven textile shows the influence of Sasanian silks with birds or animals in pearl roundels. The bird would face the opposite direction in adjacent roundels, The design is actually white on a red ground, but we show the reverse because it is in better condition

Camels and stars. Linen tabby brocaded in wool, Egypt, 8th - 9th century. 974.171.12. Royal Ontario Museum

Rare examples of brocaded decoration are difficult to date because they are so different in style and consist largely of simple geometric motifs. An example in Antwerp has been radiocarbon dated to the 8th - 9th century, well after the Arab conquest.

Lions in plant scroll. Linen and wool tapestry Bahnasah, Egypt, 9th century.978.76.132. Abemayor Collection, Gift of Albert and Federico Friedberg. Royal Ontario Museum

The inhabited plant scroll, a motif popular throughout the Roman Empire, was later incorporated into the tiraz bands of Muslim Egypt. This piece relates to a textile with an inscription mentioning the tiraz at Bahnasah, the major city of the Fayyum, and a date c. 850.

Tiraz fragment with Christian motifs. Gauzy linen tabby with silk tapestry, Egypt, 952–976. 963.95.5. Royal Ontario Museum

This inscription begins with the Basmala (In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate) and the first words of the title of the Fatimid Caliph, al-Mu‘izz (952–976). The kufic letters have terminals resembling leaves and tendrils. Letters which normally form an arc below the baseline are carried upward, taking the shape of a swan’s neck (the nun at the end of the word, al-rahman)Inscription: Bismi [llah] al-rahman al-rahim Ma‘add Abu [Tamim ...].

Tiraz band from a striped garment. Wool tabby with wool and cotton tapestry Fayyum, Egypt, 9th - 10th century, 980.78.43. Wilkinson Collection, Gift of Albert and Federico Friedberg. Royal Ontario Museum 

A rectangular tapestry-woven panel with birds and quadrupeds in pearl medallions is set into a ground decorated with multicoloured weft bands. The panel is framed by a tiraz-like inscription in Fayyumi pseudo-Arabic script, in which the vertical staves take on a pine-tree shape.

Abbasid & Early Fatimid tiraz

Abbasid tiraz Arrival of the Fatimids in Cairo

The first Muslim dynasty, the Umayyad, fell to the Abbasids in 750, and the capital moved from Damascus (Syria) to Baghdad (Iraq). Here the Abbasid Caliph ruled an empire stretching from North Africa to Afghanistan. The Caliph’s display of wealth and court ceremonial was on a par with that of the Byzantine Emperor. The textiles shown here were both imported into Egypt from the east and produced at home. 

The calligraphic style prevails 

The style of kufic is calligraphic, resembling the artistry of contemporary Qur’ans. However, because these inscriptions are decorative, the calligrapher took liberties with the script, inserting superfluous strokes and flourishes to create rhythm and pattern.

Tiraz fragment. Glazed cotton tabby painted in ink, Iraq, 11th century,975.403.3. Royal Ontario Museum

This painted inscription is in the style of the finely embroidered tiraz imported into Egypt from Iraq While the letters appear identifiable, a complete reading of the inscription has yet to be done. Over the final letter (on the left) a small inscription appears, possibly the name of the calligrapher.