The Chertsey Tiles: Roundel with Amazons on Horseback by Finley Cassidy ’22
12023-01-17T10:18:13-08:00Brooke Hendershottb0a907cd0f989ee79e94592378a1545647719cfb394471For more information about the Chertsey tiles and associated medieval objects, visit https://chertseytiles.holycross.edu.plain2023-01-17T10:18:13-08:00YouTube2023-01-11T18:08:26ZGcEXfOlXbIYThe Chertsey TilesBrooke Hendershottb0a907cd0f989ee79e94592378a1545647719cfb
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1media/DO 1946.15 Roundel with Amazons on Horseback-1.jpgmedia/DO 1946.15 Roundel with Amazons on Horseback-1.jpg2021-11-03T14:02:36-07:00Roundel with Amazons on Horseback (DO BZ1946.15)32plain2023-01-17T14:06:20-08:0034.993, 38.540By Finley Cassidy '22
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.
