Roundel with Amazons on Horseback (DO BZ1946.15)
This polychrome silk fragment containing a single medallion shows two symmetrical fearsome female warriors on horseback, arrows drawn, ready to hunt their prey. Each warrior is single-breasted. It was thought that Amazons were so dedicated to their craft that they cut off their right breast to better control their bows. The Amazons originated in Greek mythology as warrior women skilled in battle, equal to their male counterparts. Due to the large number of surviving medieval silks showing Amazons, art historians can trace the long popularity of this imagery among both Christian and Muslim audiences (very similar silks showing Amazons also included Arabic inscriptions of bismillāh: “In the name of God”). The textile fragment’s square shape suggests this piece of silk served as decoration on a tunic.
