Early Islamic dress
In contrast to Coptic tunics, which were woven to shape on a very wide loom, these dresses are composed of several pieces cut from a length of fabric woven on a narrower loom. In general, the body is cut in a single piece that wraps over the shoulder to form the centre front and back of the garment. The sleeves and side panels are also cut so that they wrap around the body. Smaller pieces are often required to complete the garment, and their haphazard nature suggests reuse of an older garment. The earliest dresses are decorated with applied bands in coloured wool. Later, the decoration changed to bands of silk embroidery.
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