Silk Descriptions from an Exhibition at the British Museum

From the catalogue of the Byzantine Exhibit at the British Museum "Byzantium: Treasures of Byzantine Art and Culture" ed. David Buckton

p 61
49 Silk with trefoils and rosettes-@5th cent

"...compound twill in white and brick-red silk. The repeating design has alternate rows of four-petalled rosettes and trefoils in circles on a background of tiny chequers (the vertical axis of the design is in the direction of the weft.) At the right side of the smallest fragment, a short warp fringe marking the edge of the cloth is preceded by a plain cream band and a band of larger chequers. Weft faced compound 1/2 twill, two lats, very fine texture. Warp yarn z-twist cream silk: approx 30 single threads of each warp per cm. Weft yarn without twist , brick red, white and cream: approx 72 passes per cm. Lengthwise (reverse) repeat approx 1.1 cm, widthwise repeat approx 2.1 cm. ..."

pp 101-102
111 Silk with a design of parrots-@6th century

"...compound twill silk with a design of small parrots in grass-green with white heads and claws on a dull pink ground. The parrots occur in three different postures, accompanied by two plant sprigs. The vertical axis of the design is parallel to the weft, and in this direction the same motif repeats without a break. In the direction of the warp the three different images succeed each other and on the third largest fragment, appear reversed. Weft-faced compound 1/2 twill, three lats, very fine texture. Warp yarn of dull pink, z-twisted, 31-5 single threads of each warp per cm. Weft yarns of white (poorly preserved), grass-green and dull pink without twist, 55-60 passes per cm. Some weaving faults. Lengthwise repeat, 9.2-9.6 cm, widthwise repeat 2.8-2.9 cm. ..."