A piece of cloth can carry written evidence as well as woven structure. A linen sheet associated with Tutankhamun’s embalming cache is a particularly useful example because the museum discusses both the inscription and the changing interpretation of the find.
Separate the object from the first explanation
The Met’s record for 09.184.693 describes inscriptions referring to year eight and the king’s throne name. It also explains that material initially associated with a supposed tomb was later recognised as embalming refuse.
The interesting point is not simply that a famous name appears. The relationship between a find and its historical explanation developed through further study.
Make two timelines
On one line, record the ancient dates or date ranges supplied for the object. On another, record discovery and later interpretation. Do not mix a modern excavation date with the ancient date expressed in an inscription.
When an inscription uses a regnal year, retain that wording until a reliable reference explains its conversion. It is not automatically a year in the calendar you use today.
Our illustration is decorative; the linked museum entry contains the actual textile images and discussion. To keep material and writing terminology clear, read the difference between a writing surface and a script. Linen provides another reason to keep those categories separate.