I find it interesting that multiple examples of an illustration, on perishable material, can survive for over a thousand years.
The most I have found is seven examples of horse-archers on silk:
Arab, Syrian or Byzantine Horse Archer on a Coptic Textile, 7th century, Dumbarton Oaks Collection, Washington (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archer-Dumbarton_Oaks.htm)
Egyptian, Syrian or Arab Horse Archer on an Islamic Textile, Egypt or Syria, 7th-8th century, State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archer-Hermitage.htm)
Egyptian, Syrian or Arab Horse Archer on an Islamic Textile, Syria, 8th century, Cleveland Museum of Art (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archer-Cleveland-1952_104.htm)
Egyptian, Syrian or Arab Horse Archer on an Islamic Textile, Egypt or Syria, 8th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archer-metmuseum.htm)
Egyptian or Arab Horse Archer on an Islamic or Byzantine Textile, Egypt or Byzantium, 6th-7th centuries, Victoria and Albert Museum 292-188 (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archer-VaA-1292-1889.htm)
Egyptian or Arab Horse Archer on an Islamic or Byazantine Textile, Egypt or Syria, 8th century, Victoria and Albert Museum 817-190 (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archer-VaA-817-1903.htm)
Egyptian or Arab Horse Archer on an Islamic or Byazantine Textile, Egypt or Syria, 8th century, Victoria and Albert Museum 817-190 (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archer-VaA-2185A-1900.htm)
Comparison of Egyptian or Arab Horse Archers on Islamic or Byzantine Textiles (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archers.htm)
They were perhaps either mass produced or continued to be produced over a long time period for this many to turn up in western museums, as there are probably other survivers in institutions and private hands.
There are also 3 of another, similar, design: Arab, Syrian or Byzantine Horse Archers on Silk, 7th-8th Centuries (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Syrian_or_Byzantine_Horse_Archers.htm)
Mirror Sites
Comparison of Egyptian or Arab Horse Archers on Islamic or Byzantine Textiles (http://warfare.ga/6-10/Coptic-Horse_Archers.htm)
Arab, Syrian or Byzantine Horse Archers on Silk, 7th-8th Centuries (http://warfare.ga/6-10/Syrian_or_Byzantine_Horse_Archers.htm)
Druzhina
Illustrations of Arabian Costume & Soldiers (http://warfare.tk/Arab.htm)
Hi D, nice to see you back. Great finds as ever
+1, to both of Will's comments ! :)
Cheers - Phil
+1 to both as well :)
Also of interest is that this
(http://warfare.x10host.com/Ancient/th/Coptic-Cavalryman_Textile-Washington_th.jpg)
Coptic, Byzantine, Syrian or Arab Cavalryman on a Coptic Textile, Egypt, 7th century (http://warfare.x10host.com/6-10/Coptic-Cavalryman_Textile-Washington.htm)
has the same composition as this
(http://warfare.x10host.com/Ancient/th/Victorious_Emperor-Walters_th.jpg)
Victorious Emperor, Coptic-Byzantine Ivory Relief, 7th century. The Walters Art Museum 71.1144 (http://warfare.x10host.com/6-10/Victorious_Emperor-Walters.htm)
Druzhina
Byzantine Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers (http://warfare.tk/Byzantine.htm)
Wonder which came first!