DOI Heft:
Egypt
DOI Artikel:Czaja-Szewczak, Barbara: Naqlun 2003 from scraps to tunic
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41371#0166
NAQLUN
EGYPT
tunic from the Louvre was dated to the
10th-11th century on the grounds of the
overall shape, decoration and the text
which is, in the opinion of M. Durand,
a typical Coptic inscription formula
imitating the decorative bands of tiraz
textiles, characteristic of products from the
9th-11th century.6) The dating of the
Naqlun tunic is based on the archaeo-
logical context, which points to the
Fatimid period.
The large number of fragments be-
longing to tunic Nd.00.083 caused
problems not only with photography, but
also with storage. Full conservation during
a single season was impossible, so the only
solution was to stabilize the tunic on
modern linen ground. A plain-weave piece
of linen fabric was prepared and all the
scraps of the tunic were placed on it taking
into consideration the continuity of the
decoration, the coloring and the spaces
between ornaments. The extent of the
damages and the discoloring helped to
determine the part of the tunic a given
piece had come from. Another element
facilitating the reconstruction was the
impression of a belt visible on a few
fragments. The ampleness of the robe
made the bands of ornament, so
characteristic of Late Antiquity, equally
important in Early Christian and Arab
times. A belt to hold the tunic in place at
the waist made it easier to move around in
such a robe.7)
Knowing the dimensions of the tunic
permitted the linen ground stabilizing the
preserved scraps to be shaped appropriately
in resemblance of the original. Thus, the
tunic has been restored to its shape and all
the surviving fragments are clearly visible
(cf. Fig. 3). The doubling linen is of
a golden-brown color that resembles the
modern coloring of this kind of dress. The
purpose in this choice of color was to
integrate it as fully as possible with the
reconstructed robe. A thin polyester thread
and a semicircular surgical needle were
used to baste the scraps of the tunic to the
ground. This is a provisional solution. In
the future, the textile will be attached to
the ground with laid stitch replacing the
polyester thread with silk. The size of the
doubling cloth will be strictly adapted to
the full dimensions of the tunic in order to
restore the textile to its original shape.
Once the work intended for this season
was completed, the large number of scraps
of tunic Nd.00.083 could be photographed
and safely stored without fear of further
damage. The linen with the doubled pieces
of textile was rolled onto a cylinder meas-
uring 8.0 cm in diameter. Successive layers
of the cloth were separated with acid-free
Japanese tissue paper and the roll inserted
into a tube of acid-free paper for storage.
6) Durand, op. cit, 130.
7) D. Pfister, D. Flamm, s.v. Belts, in: Coptic Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (1991), 643.
164
EGYPT
tunic from the Louvre was dated to the
10th-11th century on the grounds of the
overall shape, decoration and the text
which is, in the opinion of M. Durand,
a typical Coptic inscription formula
imitating the decorative bands of tiraz
textiles, characteristic of products from the
9th-11th century.6) The dating of the
Naqlun tunic is based on the archaeo-
logical context, which points to the
Fatimid period.
The large number of fragments be-
longing to tunic Nd.00.083 caused
problems not only with photography, but
also with storage. Full conservation during
a single season was impossible, so the only
solution was to stabilize the tunic on
modern linen ground. A plain-weave piece
of linen fabric was prepared and all the
scraps of the tunic were placed on it taking
into consideration the continuity of the
decoration, the coloring and the spaces
between ornaments. The extent of the
damages and the discoloring helped to
determine the part of the tunic a given
piece had come from. Another element
facilitating the reconstruction was the
impression of a belt visible on a few
fragments. The ampleness of the robe
made the bands of ornament, so
characteristic of Late Antiquity, equally
important in Early Christian and Arab
times. A belt to hold the tunic in place at
the waist made it easier to move around in
such a robe.7)
Knowing the dimensions of the tunic
permitted the linen ground stabilizing the
preserved scraps to be shaped appropriately
in resemblance of the original. Thus, the
tunic has been restored to its shape and all
the surviving fragments are clearly visible
(cf. Fig. 3). The doubling linen is of
a golden-brown color that resembles the
modern coloring of this kind of dress. The
purpose in this choice of color was to
integrate it as fully as possible with the
reconstructed robe. A thin polyester thread
and a semicircular surgical needle were
used to baste the scraps of the tunic to the
ground. This is a provisional solution. In
the future, the textile will be attached to
the ground with laid stitch replacing the
polyester thread with silk. The size of the
doubling cloth will be strictly adapted to
the full dimensions of the tunic in order to
restore the textile to its original shape.
Once the work intended for this season
was completed, the large number of scraps
of tunic Nd.00.083 could be photographed
and safely stored without fear of further
damage. The linen with the doubled pieces
of textile was rolled onto a cylinder meas-
uring 8.0 cm in diameter. Successive layers
of the cloth were separated with acid-free
Japanese tissue paper and the roll inserted
into a tube of acid-free paper for storage.
6) Durand, op. cit, 130.
7) D. Pfister, D. Flamm, s.v. Belts, in: Coptic Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (1991), 643.
164