1293.
Silk and Cotton Damask; ground, bright crimson silk; design, floriated circles filled in with a pair of griffins rampant, addorsed, regardant, and the spaces between the circles ornamented with a floriated cross, all in yellow cotton. Sicilian, 14th century. 9¼ inches by 7 inches.
A good design bestowed upon somewhat poor materials. At first the yellow parts of the pattern had their cotton thread covered with gold, but of such a debased quality and so sparingly, too, that it has almost all disappeared, and, where seen, has tarnished to a dusky black.