Fabric of societies
A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry depicting Bishop Otto rallying Duke William’s army during the Battle of Hastings, showing the ‘Bayeux Stitch’ used on the horses and the bright colours.
Wikimedia Commons
THE BAYEUX Tapestry is part of an ancient global tradition where ruling elites used monumental textiles or architectural reliefs to blast out political propaganda, log military achievements and solidify their right to rule.
They were the mass media of their day. We know from historical records that the tapestry was not a sudden invention, but rather the late survivor of a robust, highly prestigious textile tradition. In the Roman Empire, massive embroidered textiles called vela were hung in public theatres and basilicas, vividly depicting the emperor trampling barbarians or parading war captives.
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