Period: General Prehistory

Project title: Indfarvning af prøver til konserveringsforsøg.

Researcher: Maj Ringgaard, The National Museum, Copenhagen.

E-mail: maj.ringgaard(at)natmus.dk

Year: 2007

Abstract:

Certain colours are dominant in prehistoric textiles, while others are rarely seen. Is this because certain colours were in fashion and preferable at the time or is it more probably a matter of preservation conditions?

In this project, samples of textile and yarn have been dyed respectively with indigo (blue), cochineal (red), madder (red) and weld (yellow) and fixed with various mordants (alum, tin, copper and cream of tartar).

The samples have then been buried in 5 separate boxes with soil of known composition. The degree of breakdown of the textile and yarn samples will be monitored over a period of time. In order to expedite the breakdown, the boxes are kept in a greenhouse with high temperature. From time to time, a box is being removed and the content excavated.

In this way it will be possible to ascertain whether dyeing, fixing with mordants or both of these has an effect on which textiles – and also which colours – survive for a long time in the earth.

Reference number: HAF 24/07