Blanket

Long length of plain weave linen (flax) cloth with decorative jute fringe along the viewing right hand side. Both long edges are selvedges therefore the cloth is a full loom width. The fringe appears to have been incorporated into the body of the fabric during the weaving process and has been gathered into tassels. The fabric and fringe appear undyed and are therefore a pale straw colour, however there are slight variations in colour across the full length, possibly caused by different batches of fibre being used. There are also variations of fibre thickness and weaving tension, making some areas appear of a looser weave than others. When unfolded the sheet has a total length is 6.60 metres and the width varies between 1.16 m and 1.27 m. It was probably used originally as a bedsheet and buried in a tomb with other linen provisions for the Afterlife. The object is in fair condition considering its age. The length of fabric is generally complete, with only a few small areas of loss. The fabric is creased having been stored folded. There are repeated areas of discolouration or staining. There are several splits in the main body of the fabric, particularly in the stained orange areas. These have possibly been caused the fabric being folded, and exacerbated by the staining which has accelerated the deterioration of the fibres.