Pages: 357-374

Despite relatively short period of Sasanian occupation of Egypt there are many evidences of their influence upon Egyptian material culture and specially textile production. Sasanian and Post-Sasanian influence was manifested in different fields related to textiles in general: changes in costume and ‘fashion’, appearing of neatly tailored garments, introduction of new textile techniques and iconographical features. Egyptian weavers started to draw inspiration from new images and subjects. The question is how deep that influence got into Egyptian textile production weaving techniques? The studies of textile objects from the Egyptian Late Antique necropolis demonstrate the controversial nature of Sasanian occupation of Egypt. Certainly it contributed to expansion of the Central Asia influence. At the same time this influence was not spread by forсe. At some point a certain technical feature or iconographical motif alien for Egyptian culture, became fashionable, than adopted and considered native. Egyptians developed new weaving techniques inspired by colorful and fancy Near Eastern examples. The Egyptian-Persian workshops imitated some Central Asian techniques, but provincial weavers and tailors copied just shapes. The finished textiles and dress were not imitations of original costumes but rather copies of copies.

Keywords: Egypt, Sasanian ocupation, Persians, silk, Antinoopolis, Deir al-Banat, weaving, samits, Central Asia textiles, textile technologies, Sasanian influence

Information about author:

Olga Orfinskaya (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Center for Egyptological Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Lenin Ave., 29/8, Moscow, 119071, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Elena Tolmacheva (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Center for Egyptological Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Lenin Ave., 29/8, Moscow, 119071, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]