MFA 35.1967, Fragment of silk, Japan (9th or 10th century)

Artifact Information

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 35.1967. 7.8 x 10.3 cm (Gift of Yamanaka & Co.).

Textile fragment with design of flowers and cyprus fence in yellow supplementary weft patterning on yellow twill-weave silk ground [1].

Fragment with design of flowers and cyprus fence. © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Summary of results

Two threads were collected for dye analysis, analyzed by prof. R. Laursen at Boston University

Two gold yellow silk samples were analyzed. Berberine and other alkanoids were identified. The dyeing source was a protoberberine type, probably amur cork tree.

References

[1] https://www.mfa.org/collections/search?search_api_views_fulltext=35.1967