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Limestone block depicting animals wrapped in vines

A horizontal roughly rectangular block of carved beige-white limestone contains three-dimensional images of animals surrounded by vines. A curling vine starts at the top left corner of the frieze, curves to the bottom edge, and wraps around a frightened rabbit slightly left of center that is looking over its shoulder to the left with its ears down and foot raised. The vine splits and continues to the right, where it too wraps around a gazelle or antelope facing towards the right looking downwards with at least one of its front legs raised.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
1975.41.53
Title
Section of an Architectural Frieze
Classification
Architectural Elements
Work Type
architectural element
Date
5th Century
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Africa, Egypt (Ancient)
Period
Byzantine period
Culture
Coptic
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/291103

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Limestone
Technique
Relief
Dimensions
34.7 x 57.5 cm (13 11/16 x 22 5/8 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Unknown, formerly of the Kevorkian Collection.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of The Hagop Kevorkian Foundation in memory of Hagop Kevorkian
Accession Year
1975
Object Number
1975.41.53
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Section of an architectural frieze decorated in relief. Continuous vine scroll forms loops and has spiney foliate tendrils which continue from the ends of vine offshoots. Within the loops are the foreparts of animals. In this preserved section of the frieze, a hare with head turned back populates one loop, and a charging gazelle or antelope the other. Both preserved animals have stippled hides. A plain, narrow fillet borders the bottom edge of the block.

Publication History

  • Mary McWilliams and Jochen Sokoly, Social Fabrics: Inscribed Textiles from Medieval Egyptian Tombs, exh. cat. (Cambridge, MA, February 22, 2022), pp. 102-03, cat. 20

Exhibition History

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu