Tapestry is a form of textile art that has been practiced all over the world for thousands of years. It is traditionally woven by hand on a loom, and is used to create images rather than patterns. Tapestry weaving is a weft-faced weaving technique, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike most woven textiles, where both the warp and the weft threads may be visible. In tapestry weaving, weft yarns are typically discontinuous, meaning that the artisan interlaces each colored weft back and forth in its own small pattern area. The key feature of tapestry weaving is that most of the weft threads do not run all the way across the warp. Instead, the weft runs back and forth across a specific segment of the warp to create a small block of color. Wool is the material that has been most widely used for tapestry weaving, traditionally used for both the warp and weft threads. Silk threads are sometimes used in the weft, in addition to wool, to help create intricate details and add depth to the design.

Tapestries were owned by the elite and used to decorate both private and public spaces. They were often made in sets, so that a whole room could be hung with them. From the Middle Ages on, European tapestries could be very large, with images containing dozens of figures. Although large pieces of embroidery with images are sometimes loosely called "tapestry," tapestry should be distinguished from the different technique of embroidery.