Thelma K. Thomas, ed. Designing Identity: The Power of Textiles in Late Antiquity. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Institute for the Study of the Ancient World; distributed by Princeton University Press, 2016.

From ISAW

Ideals of character and beauty, conceptions of self and society, were in flux during Late Antiquity, a period of extensive dramatic cultural upheaval for the Roman world as the extraordinary growth of Christianity eclipsed paganism. Textiles from Late Antiquity document transformations of cultural traditions and societal values at the most intimate level of the individual body and the home. These textile artifacts are fragile, preserved only in arid conditions, often in fragments and only rarely intact.

The textiles selected for the Institute of the Study of the Ancient World’s exhibition, Designing Identity: The Power of Design in Late Antiquity, present an aesthetic of vibrant colors, fine materials, technical virtuosity of professional production, and variations on designs that display personal identity in the clothing of men, women, and children, as well as hopes for prosperity and protection in the textile furnishings of households. Prized for their artistry since the earliest discoveries beginning at the turn of the nineteenth century, such textiles were eagerly collected by designers, artists, scholars, museums, and captains of industry. This exhibition catalogue explores the parallel histories of the ancient textile production and consumption and the modern business of collecting Late Antique textiles.