Perspectives Part 3: Me and Jack Cassin on Slit-Weave Tapestry

This is the third installment in a series of interpretations of a single textile by myself and a guest expert, Jack Cassin.

Part 1 of Slit-Weave Tapestry with Jack Cassin
Part 2 of Slit-Weave Tapestry with Jack Cassin


Jack Cassin is a well-known textile and carpet researcher and collector. He curates two fascinating websites, each well worth a visit:


Rug Kazbah
Weaving Art Museum and Research Institute

Jack and I are discussing this textile. I'm going to call it "the Spiral Textile" here. It is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and is documented as having been found at El Azam, Egypt. Although it has not been carbon dated, or its age known from any other source, some believe it is Later Islamic Period (800-1200 AD), but Jack suspects it is older.

The actual colors are copper and white, similar to this piece presented on RugKazbah:

In Jack's last post, he discusses the textile as Magic Carpet or spiritual tool.

He says:

To recap: a weaving should be considered a spiritual tool when its iconography and coloration are able to generate an other-worldly, or inner-worldly, feeling and experience in/for a viewer. These weavings are very rare and, more often than not, archaic examples of their type.  Naturally the spiritual tool concept is not scientifically provable, and for now readers will just have to believe it exists or not.

Jack discusses the continued up and down movement of a Muslim praying as an inductive method to ASC. A fabulous, wonderful insight!

I would not be able to claim that the iconography or coloration in this (or any) textile generates an other-worldly feeling or experience.  I can say that the iconography and coloration reflects this experience. 

In my first post, I discuss the possible association of the textile with shamanism, based on the presence of imagery from all stages of altered states of consciousness. I was unable to form a direct association, however, as there is no data as to the use or production of the textile. 

One clue may be another textile that Jack discusses on RugKazbah as a ritual apron. I'll call this one "The Cartouche Textile" here. A visible stain on the textile has been tentatively interpreted as blood, leading Jack to believe that the apron may have been used in a sacrificial context. 

Cartouche Textile Picture From RugKazbah

This textile is the earliest acknowledged example of slit tapestry. It is housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The tapestry has been accurately dated to between 1453 and 1405 B.C. The cartouche is of Amenhopt II (1450-1415 B.C.). It was recovered from the tomb of his successor, Thoutmosis IV (1415-1405 B.C.). Clearly this was a highly valued item, to have been buried with the pharaoh.
 

Color detail showing cartouche. Picture from RugKazbah

The Cartouche Textile bears repeated, culturally-significant motifs (lotus buds and papyrus plants) together with a large motif specific to the pharaoh, who was considered to be descended from and an incarnation of a deity. Its small size suggests it may have ritual purpose, likely as an apron. It is stained with what may be blood (this has not been tested, to my knowledge). Perhaps it was worn during a sacrificial ritual.

The Spiral Textile is also small in size and bears repeated motifs that appear to have cultural significance and certainly can be associated with ASC, the multi-tiered cosmos, and shamanism. According to Jack, it may have served as a ritual covering or apron. He calls its iconography "intricate, complex, and evocative." No blood or other evidence of ritual use can be discerned, though no tests have been performed. Its provenience is unknown.

The color of the Spiral Textile may support my argument that this piece has ritual significance. The textile is copper in color, and may have been dyed with ochre (iron oxide mixed with clay). Ochre has been used as a pigment for many thousands of years, and is associated with blood, death, and regeneration. The use of ochre as a textile dye in Egypt can be traced back to at least 3000 B.C. and the Tarkhan textiles. Dyed cloth was used as a pall or coffin covering in ancient Egypt, and was also used to dress statues of deities. Vogelsang-Eastwood says, "the pall was also frequently painted red, as this color was associated with death and regeneration (Vogelsang-Eastwood 2000: 295)."

According to the Australian Museum (talking about pigments for painting rather than textiles):

Red was made with ochre, just like yellow. Ochre gives a range of colours from yellow to red to dark brown, depending on the amount of water used. Iron oxide was also often used. During the New Kingdom, realgar was used for red but it fades to yellow over time. Red was used to paint male skin tones. It also represented the sun, evil, power, blood and life force.

The article is accompanied by this interesting picture:

Even though this painting does not depict a textile, it is interesting to me because it shows clearly entoptic imagery in association with death and transition. Also, the figure at the head of the coffin is dressed in a textile decorated with red motifs. Just saying.

Shabti of Amenhotep II (pic from Tour Egypt)

This shabti is from Amenhotep II's tomb. It is a servant to assist him in the afterworld. The symbols on the lower portion of the figure may be associated with, facilitate, or ensure the capacity of this being to become animated and perform duties in the afterlife. All shabtis that I have seen (in my extremely limited research) are covered on their lower half by symbols such as these.




Anubis, the jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife, is often depicted in a red or yellow apron. Both dyes are created with ochre. The western goddess below is wearing a red skirt. The decedent is often depicted with a decorated apron.

Amenhotep III on left with the Western Goddess, and on right with Anubis. Both depictions of the decedent bear decorated aprons. Pic from osirisnet.com

King Tut's tomb: Anubis, the boy king, and Hathor. Lots of red! Tut is wearing a decorated apron. Hathor's belt looks like it may be decorated as well.Pic from The Harvard Gazette.

Vogelsang-Eastwood refers to statues of deities being garbed in red, white, and green dyed cloths, which would retain ritual significance after being "discarded" by the deity. Aprons are ubiquitous in the artwork of the time, but most are plain, undecorated cloth. Only a few tapestry cloths have been found in Egypt, most associated with royal tombs. It may be assumed, then, that they were not commonly used. Although colored or even decorated aprons are observable on some deities,  they are much more frequently observed on the decedent. They may be associated with the decedent's transition from the earthly realm to the heavenly realm. This argument may be bolstered by the fact that the bottom half of Shabti figures are likewise covered with decoration/symbols. The presumed purpose of those symbols would be to re-animate both the decedent and his/her servants (represented by the Shabti).

Summary

Size, color, and the presence of motifs

When size, color, and probable provenience are taken into consideration, the Spiral Textile bears some resemblance to the Cartouche Textile.

The Cartouche Textile has a provable association with death in that it was found in a tomb. It may have been used in rites associated with a transition from life to death, such as sacrifice. This would be substantiated if it could be proven that the stain is indeed blood.

The Spiral Textile has images that can be associated with the three stages of ASC and the multi-tiered cosmos. Its size suggests it may have been used as an apron, possibly in ritual context. Its color and mode of dying have ritual significance. It is a type of textile that is commonly found in royal tombs, and therefore may be associable with death.

These are very tenuous associations, clearly.

In order to substantiate this argument, it would be helpful to have:

1. Provenience of the Spiral Textile in a royal tomb or other high-status ritual context associated with death;
2. Presence of blood on the Cartouche Textile and ideally on the Spiral Textile to create a more solid link between the two. A size and manufacture comparison would also be helpful;
3. Use of slit-weave tapestry in sacrificial or other death-associated contexts (documentary evidence or illustrations);
4.  A date for the Spiral Textile;
5.  A comparison of the use of ochre in secular textiles and ritual or high-status textiles;
6. A comparison of the use of slit-weave and other decorated textiles in secular and ritual contexts.

I would like to point out that the motifs on the Spiral Textile are unique among those found on other early Egyptian slit-tapestries. The Spiral Textile motifs, to me, are more entoptic and Stage 2 ASC in nature than the others I've seen, which bear more clearly cultural/iconic representations. This suggests a different usage, in my opinion, that nevertheless is still related to ritual and (most likely) death.

Reference:

Vogelsang-Eastwood, G., 2000, ‘Textiles’ in P. Nicholson and I. Shaw eds., ‘Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology’, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Please comment below! I'd love to hear your thoughts. REALLY!!!

O, and please visit MIRI for some beautiful, exotic textiles.

Bye, now!