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This fragment is part of the "CulturalxCollabs - Weaving the Future" carpet.
Through the fragment we trace the journey of the fragment owners and their collabs as they explore, experiment and creatively advance socially relevant themes. Here is the fragment as we are sending it on this three and a half-year journey.
Follow this story to observe the transformations the fragment undergoes over the course of these years...
...and on we go...
...with Daniel Bone
It's a small world. Not just the connections and similarities that make up our world. Take a look at these images of the carpet fragment #72 under magnification. You enter into a micro world that is overlooked by the naked eye. A rare glimpse of what is around all of us and the traces we leave behind. Make the images larger and they become things of beauty all of their own, works of art, works of manufacture.
They were taken in our conservation studios, part of the Ashmolean museum where we investigate the collections, we make discoveries and find ways to preserve objects for the future. Conservation brings together art, science, forensic investigation and collaboration.
Here is a woven prayer mat from the Ashmolean collection that was also damaged in a fire. It was part of the collection of Gerald Reitlinger (1900 - 1978) and probably on the floor of his house when it went up in flames in 1978. As well as burning holes in the carpet there are traces possibly of melted lead.
Such catastrophes do happen, moments of disaster that leave their traces on what is left behind. The carpet survives and the damage is part of its history. It leads a very protected life now, visited by interested people, cared for in specially made museum storage, kept at optimum temperature and humidity and protected from too much light.
The journey begins...
...with Anna Beselin
Tracing Clues in Oxford
The Ashmolean is the University of Oxford's museum of art and archaeology, founded in 1683. Its world-famous collections range from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time. The museum is thus ideally suited for a visit with the CulturalxCollabs project and Fragment #72 in tow. Additionally, since 2000, it has been home to the May Beattie Archive.
May Hamilton Beattie
May Hamilton Beattie (*1908 Edinburgh - †1997) was the first woman to engage in scientific research on carpets. Her focus was primarily on the analysis of materials and manufacturing techniques. Her research remains groundbreaking to this day. Accordingly, the May Beattie Archive includes around 1,400 books from her library and over 100 carpets and textiles from her collection. The archive is further enriched by fiber samples from countless carpets that Beattie collected during her stay in Baghdad and her travels, as well as her handwritten notes on them.
What did I find?
The diverse material samples and handwritten notes have now been almost completely digitized. The objects are stored in acid-free boxes, which are meticulously labeled. In the storage area, selected boxes with promising content were made available to me for research. What was to be expected? Good question. What did I find? A wide range of information from a curious and systematically working woman, and many surprises.
Where Were the Silk Carpets Stored?
For example, there is an extensive correspondence preserved that addresses the question of which silk carpets were located precisely where in the shrine of Fatima in Qom, Iran, at the end of the 17th century. This is a question still debated today. May Beattie draws on the research and observations of other travelers, as she herself did not visit Qom. This practice remains necessary today, as traveling to numerous countries is not always possible.
Wool Samples
In the archive, there are also tangible items: colored wool samples that document various dye ingredients and the results of the dyeing processes.
Researchers' Network
And a surprise: May Beattie also archived samples from our collection. For example, from two prayer rugs or the remnants of a Turkmen bag.
This illustrates how strong and important the global networking among researchers was and still is. Although sampling original objects is no longer as straightforward today, research results are shared directly, networks are expanded, and experiences are passed on.
Visit to the Ashmolean
Following the archival work, there was a lecture on the topic: What does a museum do when it has been closed for several years?
As part of the annual May Beattie Lecture, the work behind the scenes of the closed Museum für Islamische Kunst was presented: dismantling the permanent exhibition, planning and preparing future exhibits, inspecting the construction site for the new permanent exhibition, writing exhibition texts, and so on.
The highlight was the presentation of Fragment #72 and the Cultural x Collabs project. Thus, the question was answered about what a closed museum does to keep its visitors engaged.
The New Owner!
And participation means having something or being a part of something. Therefore, Fragment #72 found a new owner during the final raffle among the audience in the auditorium: David Bone, a restorer at the Ashmolean himself. This will be exciting!
Front and Back
About the Project
The Museum for Islamic Art's project, #CulturalxCollabs - Weaving the future, celebrates the transformative power of cultural exchange and the shared threads that unite us all. All the things we love, have loved and will ever love come from cultural exchange, migration and diversity, or as we like to call it #CulturalxCollabs.
100 carpet fragments, cut from a replica of the iconic dragon carpet, will travel the world (delivered by DHL). The fragments will ignite #CulturalxCollabs with co-creators, inspiring human ingenuity, fostering community and ultimately demonstrating how cultural exchange enriches all our lives.
Follow #CulturalxCollabs on Instagram as the project unfolds...
...or learn more here
Weaving the Future
Join us on a journey with 100 carpet fragments as they travel around the world for three and a half years, finding temporary homes while bridging cultural boundaries, fostering worldwide community united by the power of human stories.
Fragment Journeys
100 carpet fragments part of the "CulturalxCollabs - Weaving the Future" project. Follow their journeys through the ever changing owners' over three and a half years.
Where is the Dragon?
The star of the "CulturalxCollabs - Weaving the Future" project is a so-called Caucasian dragon carpet from the 17th century. A dragon carpet - all well and good - but: where is the dragon?
