These two 8 yard screen printed lengths, are inspired by the Sogdians, who were a prominent civilization in the Sasanian Empire. Because of their central location along the Silk Road, they had great knowledge of their market and were able to use symbols that had prominent meanings in multiple religions and cultures. Their textiles consisted of animals within “pearl roundels”, and that is what I recreated in my own way. For the center of the pearl roundel, I chose the lion, a symbol of power and royalty. I drew the lion with a peacock feathered mane to further this idea of royalty. The animals outside of the pearl roundel which include a peacock, a deer, and a ram, were also animals that were featured in a lot of the Sogdians’ textiles.