Textiles of the Early Islamic Caliphates

A collection of precious decorated Islamic textiles produced before the thirteenth century CE, many published here for the first time. 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 the names of administrators, the type of workshop in which the textile was made, the workshop’s location and the 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.Other textiles of the