Arkivism
Ornamental Shoulder Bands from a Tunic
CC0 · no rights reserved

Ornamental Shoulder Bands from a Tunic

500s · Undyed linen and dyed wool: tapestry weave with supplementary weft wrapping

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

The orientation of the figures indicates that these were vertical bands on a tunic descending from the shoulders. Human figures under arches alternate with dogs, rabbits, and a lion. The right band displays a nude female dancer playing finger cymbals at the top and bottom, and in the center, a hunter dressed in a short garment (chiton) draped over one shoulder carries a shield in his right hand and a rock in his raised hand. The left band displays, from top to bottom, a nude male carrying a leafy branch; a shepherd carrying a shepherd’s crook and dressed in a skirt of animal skin; and a nude female dancer with a scarf loosely draped behind her.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineOrnamental Shoulder Bands from a Tunic, 500s. Egypt, Byzantine period. Undyed linen and dyed wool: tapestry weave with supplementary weft wrapping; overall: 65.1 x 7.6 cm (25 5/8 x 3 in.); mounted: 74.9 x 15.2 cm (29 1/2 x 6 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of George D. Pratt, 1926.145.b

Similar works