Why was this made, and how was it used?
It is possible that this piece of silk was used to decorate an item of clothing, like a tunic. The roundel with Amazons on horseback shows a medallion in beige on a deep blue ground. The fragment's square shape suggests that this particular silk was used to ornament a tunic or something small. This technique was used to give the tunic a strong visual appeal and was used as a form of luxury decoration. This medallion is smaller than some other silk medallions, which would not have been able to fit on clothing and which could have been used for other decorative purposes, such as architectural curtains or hangings. While the tunic of this particular medallion did not survive over time, the silk still remains. It was common for the linen to be cut away and discarded, while the silk was seen as precious and was kept safe. We can assume that this medallion was designed a part of a bolt of silk and then later found its place, possibly on an item of clothing.
It is interesting to imagine who could have decorated their clothing with this medallion. Possibly other women wore these fearsome warriors' images, suggesting female empowerment.
