Egyptian Medieval Blackwork

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Mistress Safiya bint Suleiman Al-Mulima, O. L.

Egyptian Blackworkby Mistress Safiya bint Suleiman Al-Mualima, O. L.

mka Maya Heath

Pattern of birds and cats on a sleeve band

Kuhnel, Plate 30 3174 detail

Background - "Blackwork" is a term that generally

conjures up images of Tudor and Elizabethan repeated

patterns done in monochrome, usually as decorated fillwork on garments. It became known as blackwork

because, as the name implies, i t is generally worked in

a single color usually black although it is found in

other colors such as red and blue. Its can also be

called Holbein Stitch after the Bavarian painter who

rendered it so carefully in many of the portraits he

painted. However, it had its origins much earlier in

Egypt and the Middle East during the 13th through the

15th centuries during the Mamluk Sultanate. Through

trade with Spain and Italy, blackwork made its way

into Europe, changing with each culture that adopted it -

each adding its own elements of style, design and

motifs to suit the local taste. In the beginning,however, it was far more varied and colorful.

Egyptian Blackwork is also known as Square

Stitch, Mamluk Blackwork, Egyptian Double Running

Stitch, and Holbein Stitch. This refers both to the

stitch itself and to the combination of stitches that can

accompany it that include counted satin stitch, pattern

darning and various kinds of openwork. It reached its

greatest popularity in the Near and Middle East during

the Mamluk Dynasties - 1250 1517 AD and was used

to decorate household items such as towels, napkins

and cushion covers, as well as garments such as robes

and veils.

Technique - One of the joys of this kind of work is that, with very little effort, it comes out double sided, or very

nearly so. This makes it an excellent choice for veils and scarves where a light pattern is wanted and both sides are

likely to show in the wearing. It also makes a good choice for cuff and sleeve bands, especially when there are wide

of long sleeve points and the inside of the sleeve shows as much as the outside.

It is executed in Double Running Stitch and Backstitch or Looped Backstitch over 2, 3 or 4 threads. Its angular

lacy patterns can stand either alone or as a framework and counterpoint for other counted-work motifs such as counted

satin stitch and various kinds of openwork. It is equally suited for use on garment weight fabrics and light linen

gauze. It also makes for a convenient project for travel or if space is limited because it is easily worked in the hand

rather than on a frame.

Ground FabricGenerally, the fabric used was linen, although there are a few examples of cotton being used1. It

was plain weave averaging a 20/20 thread count per centimeter (50/50 per inch). There are also some examples as

coarse as 12/15 per cm (30/38 per inch) and as fine as 32/30 (81/76 per inch). Some are heavy, serviceable weaves

suitable for cushions, curtains, and other household uses. Some were light and fine, some gauzy, for garments. 2

Embroidery Thread There is one known use of cotton embroidery thread3, however, embroidery of this type was

traditionally done in silk on linen.


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Colors While there are numerous examples of indigo

blue on white or cream linen, the field is by no means

limited to those colors. There also examples of medium

blue (light indigo), red (madder), brown (iron) and green

(copper sulfate)5 and golden yellow6, sometimes used

alone or at others used in separate motif bands7. When

used in combination with openwork and satin stitching,the blackwork is usually the darkest value of the color

palette chosen used to frame the other elements. And in

the more elaborate examples lighter motifs are framed by

darker stitching in alternating panels8 .

Stitches

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Red (Madder)

Indigo

Blue

Green

Looped Back Stitch


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Beginning & Ending the Thread Because this is a double sided stitch, it is important to carefully conceal your

beginnings and endings by tucking under the tail of your thread when you begin and weaving the end of it back

through the reverse of your work when you are done. To begin a thread, pull the needle through the fabric from back

to front leaving - inch on the back. Then holding the thread tail on the reverse, be careful to stitch over the

thread tail as you work the pattern, until it is anchored firmly. Starting a new thread into the work is done in much

the same way. Lay the tail of the thread on the back pointing in the direction you are going to be stitching. Whip

over the tail catching only the back of the work. When you reach the point where you left off, pull the thread throughand continue stitching. Ending the thread works in a similar way. When you are almost to the end of your thread,

pull i t through to the back of the work and whip it through the reverse side stitches for about an inch.

Highways & Byways Working an Egyptian blackwork pattern is a little like working a puzzle. It is not stitched in

a linear way starting from point A and continuing on to B. Instead, it can be looked at sort of like traveling on a

journey. For the main roads a looped backstitch is used that carries the pattern from one motif to another. Then, a

double running stitch is used to follow the design to its farthest point, adding whatever little side-trips one

encounters. When you finally reach the end, the stitching doubles back on itself to return to where it departed the

main line of stitches. It then continues in Looped Back Stitch until another motif is reached where the process is

repeated.

Exercise 1 Small BorderDouble Running Stitch - This little border is often found used for the edges of motifs

and small decorative trim. It can be worked entirely in Double Running Stitch. It is simple to work and still has allthe basic techniques in common with even the most complex patterns.

This is a good point to start thinking through the pattern. Isolate which elements are the highways, that is, the

lines from which all the smaller motifs branch off. Next, look to find the byways, those little side trips that are

worked to their end and then return to the highway. In this pattern, the line at the bottom that all the smaller

motifs rest on is yourhighway. It carries you along but will be finished last of all. Each smaller motif is worked

as a separate byway.

Each of the smaller motifs has a byway of its

own. In the case of the arch, its the spike on the

top. With the cross, each arm is worked as a

separate loop before completing the pattern and

returning to the base line.


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Exercise 2 Marching Lion - The marching lion motif is found in many different forms from the very simple small

one here to larger complicated ones. The lion with the arched tail and one lifted foot was the emblem of Mamluk

Sultan Baybars10, a popular ruler and able warrior who came to power in AD 1260 and ruled until his death in 1277.

This particular motif comes from the same garment as the border described above as well as the rosette and the

confronting birds.

The highway line of this one is the top line of stitching and it is worked primarily in Looped back stitching. Each

small ladder divider and the lion are byways.


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Step 1Working from the tip of

the tail down to the tip of

his toe, then turn back

and work back to the

belly line.

Step 2Work across the belly line

and down to the tip of the

next toe.

Step 3Then back to the belly

line and down to the next

toe

Step 4Come back up from the tip

of the toe, up the chest and

into the head

Step 5Now make his open mouth

And come across the top of the head

Step 6Across the top of his head then down

the back of his neck and across his back

Step 7Then bring the needle up where

the back line meets the tail.

Its time to retrace your stitches

until you reach the top line

again

Exercise 3 Nested Rosette - The nested rosette is found in almost unlimited variations, from small and simple to

large and complex with various whirls, crosses and arms extending from the sides. It is worked with the outer ring as

thehighway

and the inner one(s) as the

byway(s)

. The outer framework (1) is part of the design as a whole as can

be seen in the illustration on the first page. The rosette itself is a floating motif, that is, a motif that does not

appear to be connected to the main structure of the design.


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(2.) On the reverse of the work bridge on stitch from the upper line to the inner box. Take two stitches and then work

one corner motif (3). These are the byways to the boxs highway. Once you have that done work along the edge

until you come to where the cross pattern meets the box. Turn in here to Layer (4) taking once stitch, then working

each arm of the cross. Work 3 more stitches until you come to the S center pattern work first its short leg then its

longer one and return to Layer 4. Continue around the circumference of Layer 4, branching off to take care of each

cross motif in turn. When you reach where you began at the first cross turn around and fill in the running stitches.

This will bring you back to Layer 2 where you continue around, working each corner motifs until you reach the corner

where you entered. Turn around and fill in the final stitches back to the beginning. Be sure to make your final stitchthat goes back to Layer 1 a blind stitch on the back.

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2 4


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Exercise 4 Confronting Birds - These are just one example of a wide variety of confronting animals and meander

patterns that were popular at this time. In the original, they are worked on either side of the nested rosette pattern

with the diagonals all pointing in the same direction giving a wrapped ribbon effect. But they can also be worked

with the diagonals alternating to give a wavy line look. Either way they are both deceptively simple and deceptively

complex. These blocks are made of 4 elements worked one at a time as you move across the pattern. First the bird is

worked by itself as a floating motif. Travel 5 stitches in Looped Back Stitch until you come to the next motif that is

worked up to the top line Then from the base line the next pattern is worked up to the top in Double Running Stitch.Each hook is worked as a byway as you go up. Then work back to the corner, turn and work forward again and back

down the line you have just done. The next pattern is done the same way up with the half-rosettes worked as

byways, over, back and down. When you reach the top of pattern 5 go over and do the floating bird motif, then

retrace your stitching until you reach the bottom again.

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Exercise 4 - Peacocks and the Tree of Life Confronting animals, particularly when accompanied by the Tree of

Life, are a common pattern found from at least early Byzantine times. Typically we find birds in the pattern but also

found are lions (cats), stags and, in at least one example, camels. As a popular pattern it made its way north into

Europe and we see it in Eastern European folk embroidery to this day.

This elegant confronting peacock motif is found in many different versions worked on both clothing and

household articles. It makes an interesting exercise in isolating which are the highways and which are the byways.

The runningS

pattern is worked as an entirely separate unit and would even be appropriate to work in a differentcolor such as a lighter blue or red. The bottom line is also a separate element worked alone and, if you choose to

make the S motif a different color, the line below it should be the same color as the larger bird motif. It is

interesting to notice that each element, no matter how large, can be worked with double running stitch alone, only

stringing them together with the Looped Back Stitch.

For the birds, start at the tip of one foot, following the pattern upward and around with the beak, the crest and

even the spiraling wings as byways, down into the second foot. Then work the running stitch back around until you

return to the toe where you started. The same is true for the tree. No matter how complex it seems, you can begin at

one side of the trunk in running stitch, work upwards through the branches and even around the smaller birds until

you com to the other side of the trunk. Then you can turn around and work backwards through the tree returning to

the ground where you began.

Bibliography / Suggested Reading

Dye Recipes from the St ockholm P apyrus, translated by Earle Radcliffe Caley and published

in the Journal of Chemical Educat ion, Vol 4, No 8 in August of 1927

Ellis, Marianne, Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 2001.

Figue, Gerard and Oussama Kalib, La Memoire des Tissus: Etudes des t iss ues Medievaux de

Mgharet Aasi El Nadath, Marshmallow Graphics, 1999

Haidler, Maria, Materials and Methods of the Ancient Weaver: Dyes, Art of the Ancient

Weaver: Textiles from Egypt (4 t h 12 t h C. AD), Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, Universi ty

of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1980.

Kuhnel, Ernst, Islamische Stoffe aus Agyptischen Grabern , Verlag Ernst Wasmuth, Berl in,

1927

Liles, J . N. , The Art and C raft of Natural Dyeing: Tradi t ional Recipes for Modern Use, The

Universi ty of Tennessee Press, Knoxvil le, 1999

Lamm, C arl Johan, Cot ton i n Medieval Texti les of the Near East , Librair ie Oriental iste Paul

Geutiner , Paris , 1937.

Lamm, C arl Johan, "Some Mamluk Embroideries" in Ars Is lami ca . Vol . 4 . 1937. 65-76.

Tissus d'Egypte Temoins du Monde Arabe VIIIe-Xve Siecles Collect ion Bouvier , Societe

Presence du Livre, Mussee d art et dhistoi re, Geneve, 1993

1 Lamm, C arl Johan, Cotton in Medieval Texti les of the Near East , Librair ie

Oriental iste Paul Geutiner , Paris , 1937. p. 164-1672 Ell is , Marianne, Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt , Ashmolean

Museum, Oxford, 2001.


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3 Lamm, p . 1654 Tissus d'Egypte Temoins du Monde Arabe VIIIe-Xve Siecles Collect ion Bouvier ,

Societe Presence du Livre, Mussee d art et d histoire, Geneve, 19935 Haidler, Maria, Materials and Methods of the Ancient Weaver: Dyes , Art of the

Ancient Weaver: Textiles from Egypt (4 t h 12 t h C. AD), Kelsey Museum of

Archaeology, Universi ty of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1980.6 Dye Recipes from the S tockholm Papyrus, translated by Earle Radcliffe Caley and

publ i shed in t he Journ al of Chem ical Ed ucat ion, Vo l 4, No 8 i n Au gust of 19277 Tissus d'Egypte Temoins du Monde Arabe VIIIe-Xve Siecles Collect ion Bouvier ,

Societe Presence du Livre, Mussee d art et d histoire, Geneve, 1993, p. 289-2928 Kuhnel, Ernst, Islamische Stoffe aus Agyptischen Grabern , Verlag Ernst Wasmuth,

Berl in, 1927 p. 64 and Plate 37 3273 9 Ellis, p. 8410 Ellis, p. 911 Kuhnel, Plate 30 - 3174 S 54 detail Fragment of a garment12 Kuhnel, Plate 30 - 3174 S 54 detail - Fragment of a garment13 Kuhnel, Plate 30 - 3174 S 54 detail - Fragment of a garment14 Ellis, p. 48, Plate 30Detail of a towel border, Mamluk period, late 14th-15th century, linen embroidered

with silk in double running stitch

Egyptian Medieval Blackwork

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