Textiles of the Early Islamic Caliphates

Words by Jochen Sokoly

The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, includes a remarkable array of textiles from the Islamic world, ranging widely in form, function, and place of origin. Textiles of the Early Islamic Caliphates focuses on a group of tiraz and tiraz-style textiles produced before the thirteenth century CE, mainly in the central Islamic lands.

Tiraz textiles–the word tiraz can be traced back to the Persian word for “embroidery”–were highly valued in the early Islamic world. Inscribed with sacred invocations and the name of the ruling caliph, together with information relating to their year of manufacture, these textiles provide an invaluable window into the political, administrative, and religious life of early Islam, as well as various traditions of textile production. The large majority of the surviving fragments of tiraz textiles, which were originally given as robes of honor to courtiers and ambassadors, have been found in Egyptian tombs: most of the textiles examined in this book once belonged to burial outfits from the diverse religious communities in Egypt during the early Islamic period.

Featuring more than 180 textiles from The al-Sabah Collection, some never published before, this book provides authoritative analysis not only of the textiles themselves, but also of the historical and cultural context in which they were produced. With hundreds of illustrations, including specially commissioned macrophotography, Textiles of the Early Islamic Caliphates is a landmark publication that will appeal to scholars and general readers alike.

Published by Thames & Hudson