13th-Century Christian Fresco Covered by Islamic 'Altar Tent' Discovered, May Have Been a Trophy Seized From Battle

Islam and Christianity are two of the major religions in the world. Little did people know about the stunning connection these two religions shared in the past. A recent study shared a lesser-known practice of the Christians when it came to reusing Islamic textiles after the conclusion of the battle against Islamic foes during medieval times, stated the University of Cambridge. A 700-year-old fresco painting highlighted how Islamic tents were repurposed by an Italian church after Christian soldiers collected their spoils of war. 

A church in Ferrara, Italy used these tents to conceal the high altars of their churches. Cambridge historian Dr. Federica Gigante mentioned in the study that the painting certainly depicted a brightly colored tent covered in jewels which was never seen again. Gigante theorized that it could have been a diplomatic gift from a Muslim leader or a memento collected from the battlefield. Gigante's research was published in The Burlington Magazine where she suggested that the tent might have come from a pope who gifted the textile to the convent church of St. Antonio in Polesine, Ferrara. 

"Tents, especially Islamic royal tents were among the most prized gifts in diplomatic exchanges, the most prominent royal insignia on campsites and the most sought-after spoils on battlefields," she wrote in the study. "We can’t be certain but it is possible that a person of high profile such as Pope Innocent IV gifted the tent." Other decorated Islamic textiles made of silk were also highly prized by the Christian community back then and at times, saints and rules were also wrapped in those textiles before getting buried. "They thought there existed artistic continuity from the time of Christ so their use in a Christian context was more than justified. Christians in medieval Europe admired Islamic art without fully realizing it," she continued.

Gigante remarked about how the anti-Muslim expeditions in the medieval period where it was common to pay mercenaries with textiles and getting a tent was like the ultimate prize for them. "The fresco matches descriptions of royal Islamic tents which were seized during the wars of Christian expansion into al-Andalus in the 13th century," Gigante explained. "The tent may have been part of altar curtains, made up of four pieces of cloth called a 'tetravela'. Many people don’t realize how extraordinarily advanced and admired Islamic culture was in the medieval period."

The publication on the University of Cambridge's website also shared about an Andalusi tent that was taken from the campsite of the Caliph of Almohad, Muhammad al-Nasir. The tent was later sent to Pope Innocent III post 1212. It indicated the presence of an Islamic tent in St. Peter's Basilica at some point before the fresco was painted. "The tent could also have been part of a diplomatic gift made to the powerful Este family which brokered alliances between the Guelfs and Ghibellins, factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor respectively," Gigante suggested. In 2024, Gigante also identified the Verona Astrolabe, an 11th-century Islamic astrolabe that bore both Arabic and Hebrew inscriptions.