In early medieval Egypt, wealthy merchants, landowners and high officials adorned their villas with sumptuous textiles. These fabrics were testament to the elite status of the men who owned them and figured among their most treasured possessions.
This wall hanging depicts five beautiful Nereids, daughters of the Greek sea god Nereus, astride dolphins or other sea creatures. Each maiden holds a shawl high over her head and wears a cummerbund, necklace and diadem. A busy ensemble of lotus blossoms, seed pods, fish, ducks and fishermen suggests a Nile River scene. Filling the border, winged red horses likely allude to Pegasus from Greek mythology.
The proud owner of this vivid, fanciful textile would have displayed it in a dramatic location such as in the atrium or on the main wall of the dining room to impress his guests when they arrived for a banquet. Everyone in this privileged circle would have been expected to recognize the mythological references.
During this period, textile furnishings were often repurposed as burial shrouds. This valuable wall hanging most likely was used to envelop its owner when he was buried. We do not know exactly where it was discovered, but we can thank Egypt’s arid climate for its remarkable preservation.
