Inventory number

General description

Fragment of Illustrated Papyrus with Figural and Vegetal Motifs

This fragmentary illustrated papyrus presents a carefully structured ornamental design composed in dark brown to blackish ink, with lighter whitish-gray details. The imagery features alternating human figures and vegetal motifs—stylized leaves, vines, and floral forms—set within a grid of horizontal bands and medallions. This composition bears strong affinities to decorative textile panels, particularly tabulae, which were commonly sewn onto tunics in Late Roman and early Byzantine Egypt.

Rather than being a finished artwork, this papyrus was likely created as a preparatory drawing or model for textile production, specifically embroidery. The sketch-like quality, combined with the repetition and symmetry of motifs, suggests its function as a visual guide for artisans. These kinds of drawings were not uncommon in Late Antique Egypt, where papyrus served as a practical medium for developing and transferring designs before committing them to more costly and labor-intensive materials like dyed wool or linen.

This example is part of a broader corpus of papyrus drawings studied by scholars such as Jaś Elsner(2020) and Annemarie Stauffer (2008), who have highlighted the importance of such works in understanding the design process behind Egyptian textiles. These drawings reveal a highly flexible and fluid approach to ornament, where motifs could be recombined and adjusted to suit different textile formats and uses. They demonstrate that drawing in this period was not confined to elite manuscript illustration but was integral to craft and manufacture.

The content of the design—figures interwoven with vegetal forms—aligns with common visual themes found on extant textiles from the same period. Such imagery often carried symbolic associations related to fertility, protection, and divine order. Though the exact garment or textile this drawing was intended for is unknown, similar designs have been identified on preserved tunics and shrouds used in both everyday and funerary contexts.

This fragment offers rare insight into the artistic and practical stages of textile creation in Late Antique Egypt, illustrating how papyrus functioned not only as a writing surface but also as a workspace for visual planning and innovation.