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2. Saddle Cloth Fragment China Yuan period, 13th -14th century AD. silk kesi tapestry 16 inches x 37 inches (40 cm x 94 cm). |
A large textile fragment constructed of silk kesi tapestry, patterned nasij “cloth of gold” brocade and areas of silk floss embroidery. This large fragment formed one side of a Mongol Official’s saddle cloth. Other than this surviving fragment, saddle cloths of the Yuan period are known only through their images in paintings of the period, although the survival of knee protectors made of identical materials identifies this as having been made for a Yuan dynasty official. This textile was exhibited in the 2009-2010 exhibition “Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire” and illustrated on pg. 15 of that catalog. Radiocarbon test: ETH-22445, Zurich: Cal AD 1263-1395 (100%) Detail: close-up view |