Egyptian Antinopolis Mosaic-Pattern Oversize Ruana

The striking geometric motif on this stylish oversize ruana is informed by a brilliantly colored and patterned rug fragment said to be from Antinopolis. This ancient city was founded in Egypt by the Roman emperor Hadrian and named after his ill-fated companion, Antinous, who drowned in the Nile nearby. Now in the Museum’s holdings, this 4th–5th-century textile is a rare example of an early floor covering. The design is directly linked to decorative floor patterns on Christian mosaics found throughout the southern and eastern Mediterranean, while the cut-loop technique used to craft it had been popular in Egypt for centuries.