Clavus (tunic band): Lines of Rosebuds

Tapestry woven band set into a plain woven linen ground. The tapestry band consists of two rows of repeating, identical flowers. The flowers are red and yellow, with green leaves. They may represent rose buds. At the left edge of the band, the design has begun to reverse, with just the red tops of the next row of flowers visible. This suggests that this band represents the clavus of a tunic, and the fragment has been cut just after the point where the front and back of the tunic meet. This is further supported by the bit of red cord at the upper left of the fragment; such cords were often used at the neck slit of tunics. The plain woven linen ground has several self-bands visible; these create visual interest in the plain woven areas.