[Regia-NA] Dyeing Leather
Hazel Uzzell
gythe@snrd.freeserve.co.uk
Thu, 2 May 2002 11:59:30 +0100
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Having just perused my copy of Chronicle, I was very interested to read =
the piece about the methods of dyeing leather.
Could I point out, however, that several of the methods require rock =
alum. According to Liverpool Museum Geology Dept. rock alum is very =
unlikely to have been available in any significant amounts in A/S =
England. (It may have been imported from the southern med.) Esther =
Cameron, in 'Sheaths & Scabbards in England. AD400-1100' (BAR Brithish =
Series 301. 200) is also of this opinion. Fragments of alum tawed skins =
have been found in this country, but she suggests club moss to be the =
source of the alum.
No dye has been detected in leather of A/S date in an archaeological =
context, however, the covers of the Stoneyhurst Gospels and the Codex =
Bonifatianus are both dyed red.
Sap green is obtained from buckthorn berries and was used at a later =
date as a pigment. This is produced by a precipitation method and known =
as a 'lake'. This method was not available in A/S England.
Regards to all,
Hazel
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Having just perused my copy of =
Chronicle, I was=20
very interested to read the piece about the methods of dyeing=20
leather.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Could I point out, however, that =
several of the=20
methods require rock alum. According to Liverpool Museum Geology Dept. =
rock alum=20
is very unlikely to have been available in any significant amounts =
in A/S=20
England. (It may have been imported from the southern med.) Esther =
Cameron, in=20
'Sheaths & Scabbards in England. AD400-1100' (BAR Brithish Series =
301. 200)=20
is also of this opinion. Fragments of alum tawed skins have been found =
in this=20
country, but she suggests club moss to be the source of the =
alum.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>No dye has been detected in leather of =
A/S date in=20
an archaeological context, however, the covers of the Stoneyhurst =
Gospels and=20
the Codex Bonifatianus are both dyed red.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sap green is obtained from buckthorn =
berries and=20
was used at a later date as a pigment. This is produced by a =
precipitation=20
method and known as a 'lake'. This method was not available in A/S=20
England.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Regards to all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hazel</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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