O. V. Orfinskaya

Polotentse kak pokryvalo dlia litsa v khristianskikh pogrebeniiakh v Egipte [Towels as Face Veils in Christian Burials of Egypt]

This article introduces a new category of archaeological textile into scholarly discourse — burial towel-veils, discovered at the Deir el-Banat necropolis in Egypt. The research is based on material from excavations conducted by the Centre for Egyptological Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences between 2006 and 2014. The study identifies morphological features of these artifacts: a rectangular shape with an aspect ratio of at least 2:1, the presence of a fringe, and decorative stripes. An analysis of the technological characteristics and the condition of the fabrics suggests that these towels had been originally domestic items, subsequently repurposed in the burial rite to cover the face of the deceased. These artifacts demonstrate how everyday objects were adapted into Christian burial practices.

Keywords:
textiles, towel, face veil, Christian burials, necropolis, Late Antiquity.

Original language — Russian.

DOI: 10.24412/2686-9276-2025-00013.

Referring: Orfinskaya O. V. Towels as Face Veils in Christian Burials of Egypt [in Russian] // Egypt and Neighbouring Countries 4 (2025): 15–30. DOI: 10.24412/2686-9276-2025-00013.

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