Roundel from a Blanket or Cover (300s–400s CE): Art, History and Details

Roundel from a Blanket or Cover (300s–400s CE) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Since pharaohs ruled ancient Egypt, linen cloth was woven with woolen loops for increased warmth and used as blankets and covers. Monochrome or single-color decoration as seen here dates this piece to the AD 300s. Polychrome or multicolor designs came later. Formed with deep purple wool and natural linen, the design consists of an outer circle with a knotted square inside.

Object facts

• Title: Roundel from a Blanket or Cover
• Date: 300s–400s CE
• Culture: Egypt, Byzantine period
• Type: Textile
• Technique: tapestry weave with supplementary weft wrapping; undyed linen and dyed wool
• Dimensions: Overall: 49.5 x 55.3 cm (19 1/2 x 21 3/4 in.); Mounted: 59.7 x 65.4 cm (23 1/2 x 25 3/4 in.)
• Collection: T - Coptic
• Department: Textiles
• Accession number: 1926.141

A detail from the museum

The center element has been lost.

Collection credit

Gift of George D. Pratt

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.