A missing piece of the Bayeux Tapestry, one of the world’s most famous medieval artworks, was recently rediscovered in Germany. The epic embroidery, which depicts events leading up to William the Conqueror’s victory over King Harold II, dates back to the 11th century.
Fragment Was Removed From Underside of Bayeux Tapestry in 1940s
The Bayeux Tapestry fragment was found in the Schleswig-Holstein State Archives in Schleswig, Germany. It belonged to the estate of Karl Schlabow, a local archaeologist. Schlabow, who specialized in textiles and founded the Neumünster Textile Museum, was part of a group of scientists commissioned by the Nazis to remeasure the Bayeux Tapestry in 1941. The rediscovered fragment was removed from the underside of the embroidery at some point during this project. Now, it will be repatriated to France.
The Bayeux Tapestry is French cultural property and a UNESCO Memory of the World heritage item. Measuring over 220 feet long and approximately 20 inches wide, the narrative embroidered cloth consists of 58 scenes leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. The Bayeux Tapestry was likely created during the 11th century shortly after the battle occurred. Despite its impressive size, historians believe approximately eight by 10 feet of the Bayeux Tapestry is missing—and has been for centuries. This long-lost section may have depicted William the Conqueror’s coronation as the new King of England on Christmas Day in 1066. It is unknown when or why it would have been removed.
The History and Future of the Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry is an important source for understanding the history and cultural impact of the Norman Conquest. But the exact origins of the medieval embroidery have long been the subject of speculation. According to one French legend, it was created by Queen Matilda, William the Conqueror‘s wife, and her ladies-in-waiting. However, 20th-century scholarly analysis concluded it was most likely commissioned by William’s half-brother, Bishop Odo of Bayeux, in the 1070s. After the Conquest, Odo was named Earl of Kent and, when William was absent in Normandy, Regent of England.
The significance of the Bayeux Tapestry was not widely noted until 1729, when scholars rediscovered it during its annual display in the Notre Dame Cathedral of Bayeux. Today, it is located at the Bayeux Museum in Normandy, France. Its public display is slated to close for two years, beginning on August 31, 2025, for restoration work. Its reopening will coincide with the millennium anniversary of William the Conqueror’s birth in 1028.
