Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

NAQLUN

EGYPT

or without birds, or the fabulous animals.
Only a few real tiraz-inscriptions men-
tioning names were found, all Fatimid.
Two of them are embedded in the usual
design mentioned above. One of these came
from an undisturbed tomb (Nd.00.073
from T. 174).4 It may contain the name of
the Fatimid caliph al-Mustansir bi-llah
(427-487 H / AD 1035-1094), but mis-
spelled. The other one is presumed to have
come from a tomb destroyed when a second
tomb was built in its place (Nd.02.205).
From the same spot/tomb came one of the
single-line tiraz inscriptions (Nd.02.221).

These two inscriptions refer to the
period from the end of the 10th to the
beginning of the 11th century. Fragment
Nd.02.205 [Fig. 1} is a tiraz of the Fatimid
caliph al-Hakim bi-'amri-llah (386-411 FI
/ AD 996-1020). The fabric is very loosely
woven and very dark blue in color. It has
two decorative bands done in silk tapestry
work, both incompletely preserved. In the
broader band, two inscription lines
accompany the central stripe, which con-
tains medallions. The inscription lines face
each other. They are yellow with dark
brown outlines. One line has Quran pas-


Fig. 1. Fragment of shawl. Nd.02.205
(Photo W. Godlewski)

4 Czaja-Szewczak, PAM XIII, op. cit., 178-180, Fig. 1.

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