Lot 248: A SOGDIAN SILK SAMITE FRAGMENT, CENTRAL ASIA, 7TH - 9TH CENTURY

Woven in rich hues of red, green, and black against a golden-brown ground, this silk samite fragment is patterned with alternating roundels containing winged horses and paired birds. The design is enclosed within a lattice of intersecting lines forming ogival medallions, each containing motifs imbued with symbolic meaning. The winged horses, shown in mirrored pairs, recall Central Asian mythological imagery, while the birds—possibly pheasants or parrots—evoke themes of fertility, prosperity, and divine protection.

33 x 25cm