Prototype. Chapter text drafted from the research notes and not yet checked at the archives. Images awaiting permission are marked.

Earliest tapestry weave: linen fragments from the tomb of Thutmose IV, Egypt (c. 1483–1400 BCE)

Research finding · not yet checked at the source

Date: c. 1483–1411 BCE (Britannica); 1500–1400 BCE (Glazier 1923)
Place: Thebes (Valley of the Kings)
Held by: Egyptian Museum, Cairo (CG 46526, per V&A)
Number: CG 46526
Materials: linen
Themes: Rug-making techniques

View at the source Cited in chapter 1, note 13

Cite this source

“Earliest tapestry weave: linen fragments from the tomb of Thutmose IV, Egypt (c. 1483–1400 BCE).” Research note. britannica.com/art/tapestry/Periods-and-centres-of-activity.

Research notes

How it works: tapestry is a weft-faced plain weave. Each coloured weft is woven back and forth only where its colour is needed, packed down to hide the warp. Kilims, Navajo blankets, dhurries and rölakan are all tapestry-woven. Earliest firm evidence: Britannica dates the earliest known tapestry to linen work in Egypt, 1483–1411 BCE, and says three fragments came from the tomb of Thutmose IV (two with royal cartouches, one with hieroglyphs). A V&A record says one fragment bears the prenomen of Amenhotep II although found in Tuthmosis IV's tomb, and is in the Cairo Museum as CG 46526. Conflicts: Glazier (1923) assigns the Cairo linen tapestries to Thutmose III's tomb and dates them 1500–1400 BCE. The Hellenic National Archaeological Museum (inv. Π 9651_b) claims a 17th–16th century BCE weft-faced tabby with slit-tapestry decoration as the earliest tapestry in Greece and Europe. That claim was seen only in one search snippet. Sources: https://britannica.com/art/tapestry/Periods-and-centres-of-activity · https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O320267/painting · https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/glazier1923/0045 · https://www.artextiles.org/el/node/445 Research note (Oct 2026): from search results; pages not opened.