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An off-white rectangular textile fragment with a purple design showing a nereid, dancers, and charioteers, some in roundels or squares, bordered by a vertical stripe and a pattern of plants, animals, and urns.

Textile Fragment: Nereid with Dancers and Charioteers

Egyptian

Within a medallion, a nereid holding a lyre rides a sea creature. Above her, a man wearing a riding coat stands in front of a horse or mythical animal. Beneath the nereid is a female dancer flanked by two male dancers. Under the dancers are two animals, a rabbit and either a hound or a lion. At the bottom are the remains of two charioteers. The border contains a row of human heads in addition to animals and plants in an architectural motif. Dark blue and undyed wool.

Wool

Byzantine period, Early

Textile Arts