Oriental Rugs Dictionary

Coptic Textile

Coptic tapestry weaves and hand knotted fabrics have survived from the fifth and sixth centuries in Egypt. These textiles are thought to have been produced by Copts (Christian Egyptians) and other weavers throughout the Byzantine Empire. The designs and motifs of Coptic and Byzantine textiles influenced the visual repertoire of the early Islamic period. The people of late antiquity were also buried in these garments, and most surviving examples have been found in cemeteries.