Posted on 05/21/2009 11:23:17 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Professor Zvi C. Koren has recently given a lecture entitled 'The Fashionable Colours of Antiquity Uncovered by Scientific Analyses' at Heritage Malta's Institute of Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage (ICMCH) in Bighi, Kalkara. Professor Koren's lecture was based upon the study of ancient colorants, which opens a historical window in the field of ancient technologies... The presentation discussed the various botanical and animal sources and the dyeing technologies associated with ancient colorants. The vegetal sources of dyestuffs that produce yellow, red and blue colours include amongst others, plant roots, leaves, flowers, tree bark and branches. These colours were also combined to produce other colours. The animal origins of the dyestuffs include two major groups -- entomological and molluscan. Scale insects, such as cochineal and kermes varieties were used in antiquity to produce reddish colours such as crimson and scarlet. Molluscs known as murex sea snails were the most expensive, the most difficult and the most royal and sacred of all dyes used in antiquity. These were the 'Tyrian' purples and violets worn by kings, emperors, Caesars, army commanders and high priests. Case histories of historically important ancient textiles analysed by Professor Koren were described during the lecture. These included 2000 year-old (Roman Period) Masada textiles, 3000 year-old Phoenician purple pigments, a 4000 year-old Egyptian textile and the oldest dyeing yet discovered anywhere in the world, a 6000 year-old linen burial shroud excavated in the Cave of the Warrior in the Judaen Desert of Israel.
(Excerpt) Read more at maltastar.com ...
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Clothing & textile bump
'They have calculated that a Roman brick sample with a known age of about 2,000 years was 2,001 years old. A further sample with a known age of between 708 and 758 years was calculated to have an age of 748 years.
The researchers also tested a 'mystery brick', with the real age only revealed to them once they had completed their process. The known age was between 339 and 344 years - and the new technique suggested the brick was 340 years old. '
Wow. That’s pretty amazing.
Cool! I attended a class on natural dyeing in Missouri once; I wonder if the plants used in the ancient Mediterranean were some of the same ones found in modern Missouri, or totally different.
thank you!
My pleasure.
Thanks!
Here’s a nice woad page for you ancient plant dye aficionados:
http://my.net-link.net/2E/EB/rowan/Woad%20Page/woadpage.html
Great stuff, woad.
Interesting! Looks like wintercress.
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