The oldest surviving pieces of Indian chintz have been found in Egypt, preserved by the arid climate. This fragment, radiocarbon-dated to ca. 1400, features stylized images of birds, perhaps peacocks.

One thousand years ago, Egypt was importing enormous quantities of chintz from western India for garments and home furnishings. The design vocabulary for this Islamic market included geometric shapes, stylized plants and birds, and Arabic inscriptions. Cottons painted in three colours were luxuries, but block prints in two colours were more affordable to common people. Their still-vivid colours are astounding.