Featured Medieval? Antique piece of fabric featuring an heraldic lion, mounted as a belt buckle.

Hi all, I just bought this interesting piece, so pics are of the listing...
It looks like Ikat technique, as the motif is woven.
15cm and 173 grams, modern mounting in 925 silver.
My question is what origin and era, if someone knows
@Any Jewelry too

 

Wow, kyra, interesting. Yes, it is an ikat weave, and a happy little fella.
I wonder if it is silk, but won't ask you to do a burn test.

Ikats are mostly associated with Indonesia. However, lions like this are not a very Indonesian subject.
Ikats were also made in the Persian-Bactrian cultural region, so from Iran and Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan etc. They are still made in parts of that region, especially Central Asia. However, most of the present day ikats showcase the colours and technique, with that wonderful flowing and fading effect, rather than recognizable designs.

Getting back to the lion, it does look more Persia related.
In early Medieval Central Asia there was the Sogdian empire, contemporary with the Sassanids in Iran. They made beautiful textiles, and their silk ikats feature animal motifs. So I wonder if your joyous lion could be either Sogdian, possibly Sassanid, or made in the aftermath of the Sogdian empire.
Ikats in Sogdiana and the Persian cultural area were expensive and associated with nobility.

Some interesting links, but bear in mind I could be barking up the wrong tree:

https://www.jozan.net/oriental-rugs-textiles/textiles/sogdian-textiles/

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1688&context=tsaconf

And tagging @2manybooks .

 

Aahhhh, I KNEW you'd have a wealth of Info's on this subject! thank you for these links I'll explore soin

 

Some nice Sogdian pieces in this discussion too:
http://www.turkotek.com/misc_00139/Sogdian.html

 

I don't know about Persian fabrics, but that lion does look like the ones you get on Persian enamel jewellery, doesn't he.

 

He does. Persians love their lions, and so did Persian influenced cultures like the Sogdians.

 

Looks like silk to me too.. Very interesting piece.
I don't know why I think this - but the fabric looks to have been mounted on a buckle made by a recent student. If the buckle is silver, I don't know how it hasn't darkened the fabric?

Edited to clarify - the silver hasn't got a touch of tarnish on it yet?

 

The mounting is brand new, probably made to emphasis this stunning piece of antiquity

 

Yes, it looks so new. Do you have any concern that when the silver tarnishes, it will damage the fabric?

I'm sure if you'd have done it, you'd have backed it with acid-free something! I have a hard time to think whomever mounted this is as thorough as you would have been!

 

I'm not sure of anything, just hoping the person who decided to have this piece mounted cared for it and asked for appropriate materials... Just I don't think it would be safe for it to be worn as a belt buckle without a glass covering
I won't do anything to it once received, only keep it in shade in my cabinet

 

Agreed! It's a rather bizarre way to display this old fabric! I'm glad you gave it your forever home!

 

I agree that the fabric looks Central Asian.

 

It certainly is a beautiful object to display. Maybe put one of those anti-tarnish strips with it? I have a display box with silver kohl bottles, and put one of those strips behind one of the bottles. Out of sight, but it can still do its job.

 

A humble example of the kind of present-day Central Asian silk ikat, my Uzbek facemask. Who said Covid protection is boring?

 

I will buy some and use them, thanks!

 

Nice!!! Not everybody’s mask

 

I need one for my collection!

 

I have masks with fabrics and embroidery from different cultures around the world. It makes mask wearing fun.

 

It's in the tradition of sherd jewellery. I do like this repurpose thing.