Lectures

The Coptic Tapestry Albums and The Archaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet

Frescoes, paintings, mosaics, and sculptures from all over the Roman Empire depict distinctive textiles decorated with tapestry, such as those found in Coptic Egyptian burial sites (3rd -7th century A.D.). The colorful ornaments illustrate birds, fish, fruit, flowers, figures, portraits, geometric motifs, religious symbols, and narrative scenes both classical and Christian. The tapestries and other textiles reveal the rich cultural construct of the time and place in which they were created. The lecture will focus on my book about the Archaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet and his connection with the unique collection of tapestry fragments at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington. Slides from my museum research in over eighty museums and a display of my own personal collection of ancient Coptic fragments will be shared.

The Tutankhamun Textiles

Among the golden treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb were belts, collars, head coverings, gloves, and garments embellished with embroidery, beads, and woven bands. The lecture will focus on the Tunic of Tutankhamun, a complete linen tunic—still beautiful and colorful after three thousand years. Carter described the tunic as, “ . . . a gala robe.” Handwoven replicas of the patterns illustrate that, “In their pristine state they must have been gorgeous pieces of color.” The cloth and clothing of New Kingdom Egypt flourished with new and unusual techniques, very different from the ancient plain linens, suggesting contact with other weaving cultures through conquest. I have had the privilege of researching ancient textiles in the Egyptian Museum and in other museum collections around the world. In 2009, 2010, and 2019 I led small groups on a Textile Tour of Egypt.

Coptic Fabrics and the Fauves

The display of brash, color-splashed paintings at the Salon d'Automne in 1905 both astonished and amused Parisians. The exhibiting artists became known as the Les Fauves—the wild beasts. The name long outlasted the brief movement known as Fauvism, but the trend setting colorists influenced the course of twentieth century art. Among those exhibiting were Henri Matisse, Andre Derain, Georges Rouault, and others. Scholars have explored the explosive work of the Fauves searching for clues to the break in custom and conformity from academy art. Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and the contemporaneous interest in Japanese and Primitive art that preceded the first Fauve exhibit are generally acknowledged as influential. Another factor—the impact of Coptic tapestry art—is less well known.

Tut to Tiraz: Tracing the Textiles of Egypt

Three thousand years of fabulous Pharaonic, Coptic and Early Islamic Egyptian fabrics from Nancy’s research in over fifty museums around the world are shared through slides, woven re-creations, and actual fragments from her personal collection. This was a time when weaving went from plain tabby to boundweave, tapestry, tablet weaving, brocade, taqueté, and tiraz embroidery. Themes changed from Classical to Christian to Islamic calligraphy. Wool, silk, and cotton were introduced to the linen weavers of old Egypt. This lecture provides an overview of the development of textile style, structure, and technology at the time in history when conquest and caravans transferred materials and knowledge from West to East and East to West. Those attending will receive a handout with information about the topic and a bibliography. Woven recreations and ancient linens will be displayed.

The Attire of the Aamu of Shu: Imaginary Apparel or Real?

The unique Beni Hassan tomb painting of a procession of Asiatics bearing gifts for Khnumhotep II is considered an “artistic gem.” The Middle Kingdom event was important enough to be recorded in the tomb during the reign of Sensuret II (circa 1890 BC). The extraordinary, colorful, patterned garments worn by the Aamu men and women in the caravan must have seemed startling to the Egyptians dressed in their ordinary garments of natural linen. The consensus among scholars is that the fabrics were made of wool. A better breed of sheep, that was useful for spinning, dyeing, and weaving, became a plentiful product during Mesopotamia’s ‘Wool Age’. The woolen patterns on the costumes of the Aamu, which can all be woven on a primitive loom with the same method, were the subject of my ‘experimental archaeological’ project.

I believe that the fabrics were not imaginary, but real.

Goddesses’ Gowns and Kings’ Kilts in New Kingdom Tomb Paintings

Egyptian pharaohs and goddesses wear garments of extraordinary patterned fabrics in New Kingdom tomb paintings. Though the goddess gowns are traditionally considered ‘bead-net’ dresses, the ornate patterns could have been woven with the same method used by weavers to create the bands on the Tunic of Tutankhamun. To demonstrate that the patterns were neither nets of beads, nor figments of the painter’s imagination, recreations of different patterns found on goddess gowns and kings’ kilts were woven in my ‘experimental archaeology’ project. The quest began with research on the patterned fabrics on costumes in Minoan frescoes, and included those found in Egyptian wall paintings from Eighteenth Dynasty tombs. The Tutankhamun woven, patterned textiles from his tomb were included in the study.

Oregon Flax and Linen

Oregon is the only place in the United States to have had a flax and linen industry. Begun in pioneer days, it died out in the late 1950's. The linen thread produced there was as fine as any grown in the world. Follow the Oregon flax from the field to the fabulous finished linen fabrics. Oregon linen yarn, fabrics, and recreations will be shared.