Wall hanging
Turkey or Syria
19th century
This hanging, composed of five differently colored panels containing embroidered architectural motifs sewn together, is a bit of a mystery. The colors are partly synthetic, so it cannot be more than one hundred years old. Weaving long narrow strips and then sewing them together to make blankets and covers is a longstanding tradition in west Asia. In one sense, this textile is similar to Turkish examples, which are also made of differently colored panels sprinkled with small motifs; however, those motifs are woven into the fabric, not embroidered. Alternatively, in Syria there is an ancient tradition of representing architecture in this manner, and this cover could represent a distant memory of the practice.
Wall hanging (above) and detail (right)
Turkey or Syria
Wool. embroidery
19th century
Gail Martin
Photo by Don Tuttle Photography
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