During the 20th century a number of small bits and pieces of ancient textiles were found wrapping the precious relics at Saint-Maurice d’Agaune
Already in the beginning of the 20th century a German professor by the name of Stückelberg took the opportunity to register and photograph a series a relic-wrappings from the churches and abbeys in the Valais. Many of these tiny pieces belong to the early middle ages and stem from China, via Persia and Egypt to Western Europe. Many of these tiny pieces appeared to belong to the same textiles. Fragments seemed to have been cut off and used in different locations.
One such famous piece is of course the “Nereid Textile” from Sion (Sitten), one of the few fabrics from classical antiquity. It was probably found during an opening of the reliquary of St. Maurice in 1225 and after that dispersed through the valley. Studying all the fragments, Stückelberg found that the sudarium had been bordered on top by a pattern of eagles, while the bottom paraded falcons. He dated the piece to the 4th century and concluded that it might in fact have been the earliest wrapping for Saint Maurice (or what was believed to be his earthly remains, found by Theodulus).
Another silk-piece found at St. Maurice in 1923 seems to be a bit later – from the 6th century. It sports a rapport of lions, vine and chalices.
Too other fragments from Egypt from the 7th to 8th centuries show rapports of dancing figures in medallions alternating with dancing lions or cows. Colours white on blue or red on yellow. These were all found in the Ewer in 1923.
More, however, were to come. As late as in 1961, a whole new cache of fragments were found when the head of St. Candidus was opened. This costly head-shaped reliquary was made in the 12th century. During restoration work the head was found to contain not only parts of the presumed skull but also a blue silk cap and dozens of small tied-up packages of relics wrapped in fabrics with little parchment notes attached.
Some of these textiles belong to the period, when Saint-Maurice d’Augune was founded (515).
Currently this cache of textiles is exhibited at the Abegg-Stiftung at The Villa Abegg in Switzerland together with other rich collections from Hildesheim and the Guelph Treasure. It may be viewed by contacting the Institution.
Unfortunately the full collection of textiles has never been published.
SEE MORE:
Veil and Adornment
Medieval Textiles and the Cult of Relics.
Villa Abegg
27.04.2014 – 09.11.2014
READ MORE:
Unveröffentlichte Walliser Gewebefunde
By E. A. Stückelberg
In: Anzeiger für schweizerische Altertumskunde: Neue Folge, 1926, Vol. 26, no. 2 – 3, pp. 95 ff. (with 20 coloured photos)
Early Textiles in the Canton Valais
A. F. Kendrick
The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, 1924, Vol. 45, No. 258, pp. 125-127+130-131
Textilien des Mittelmeerraumes aus spätantiker bis frühislamischer Zeit
By Sabine Schrenk and Regina Knaller (Textile Analysis)
In: Textilsammlung der Abegg-Stiftung Volume 4
With English Translation of the Introducing Texts
ISBN 3-905014-24-6