Glazier, Richard: Historic textile fabrics: a short history of the tradition and development of pattern in woven & printed stuffs (London: B. T. Batsford, 1923)

VII

WOVEN FABRICS

GREEK FABRICS.—Many references are made by the
early Greek writers to the sumptuous patterned fabrics
used in the ritual of the temples or in the costume of the
heroes.

Euripides speaks of Ion taking sacred
tapestries out of the coffers:
“ And these were the woven figures
portrayed, Heaven was there collecting the
stars within the Ether; and the Sun driving
his horses, to the last waning light of day,
and drawing with him shining Vesper; and
black-robed Night driving her two-horsed
chariot . . . and other weavings of barbarian
workmanship.”
Such sumptuous fabrics were undoubtedly
tapestry woven or embroidered, and were
essentially sacred vestments.
The richly patterned fabrics described
by Homer were probably from the Eastern
looms, like the “ other weavings of barbarian
workmanship ” of Euripides.
Homer in his Odyssey, describing the
dress of Ulysses, says :


Fig. 13.—Greek Fabrics.

“A robe of military purple flow’d
O’er all his frame, illustrious on his breast
The double clasping gold, the king contest.
In the rich woof a hound, mosaic drawn,
Bore on full stretch and seized a dappled fawn ;
Deep in his neck his fangs indent their hold,
They pant and struggle in the moving gold.”
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