Connections between Fatimid and Andalusi Inscribed Textiles

Dr. Ali-de-Unzaga’s research involved investigating the possibility of a connection between Andalusi and Fatimid examples of early Islamic textiles. Existing scholarship on Fatimid textiles tended to focus mainly on the tiraz, specifically their role in disseminating political or social messages, while the textiles as material objects went overlooked. In contrast, study of the Andalusi textiles tended to focus on technical descriptions of their yarn and weave structure and construction, with little to no investigation into their social and historical context. Dr. Ali-de-Unzaga sought to fill these gaps in research, and in the process illuminate the relationship between these two textile traditions and the societies from which they emerged.