Northern dynasties (386-581 A.D)

    The design of this panel features a succession of different elements confined in a framework of paired waves. From left to right, these elements include a camel leading figure, a recumbent lion, an elephant and thena deity on a platform, to be followed in reverse order by another elephant,recumbent lion and a figure leading a camel. All elements are mirrored in the warp direction, leaving two images of a single element in each frame, one right side up and the other upside down. This brings to mind the scene of a traveling merchant stopping by a pond in an oasis to replenish his camel and thereupon a perfect reflection is seen on the water. A woven character “胡” is seen underneath the camel, a most plausible indication that these were Persian merchants along the Silk Road. In a separate frame is a temple-like building inside which a deity sits solemnly with an attending servant on either side of the outside of the building, a grouping reminiscent of a typical establishment of what is known as the Buddhist temple motif or one Buddha with two disciples found on excavations from Turfan.

    The structure of this textile is a 1:2 warp-faced compound tabby, with three groups of warps in blue, brown and white. Great similarities in terms of both weave structure and pattern design have been identified in this panel to two existing pieces, a Northern dynasty jin-silk with confronting lions and elephants from Astana, Turfan, Xinjiang, and a Sui dynasty jin-silk with confronting lions, elephants and camels from Reshui, Dulan, Qinghai. The pattern repeat is 12.5cm in the warp direction and selvage to selvage in the weft direction.(XZ)