Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt
When the imagination conjures up an image of an Egyptian mummy, it is normally one of a human body wrapped with undyed linen bandages. However, the reality was much more colourful, as shown by the set of red mummy shrouds and textile fragments from Pharaonic Egypt considered in this work. The textil...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-10-01
|
| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/24/20/3761 |
| _version_ | 1818176728622694400 |
|---|---|
| author | Diego Tamburini Joanne Dyer Patrizia Davit Maurizio Aceto Valentina Turina Matilde Borla Marie Vandenbeusch Monica Gulmini |
| author_facet | Diego Tamburini Joanne Dyer Patrizia Davit Maurizio Aceto Valentina Turina Matilde Borla Marie Vandenbeusch Monica Gulmini |
| author_sort | Diego Tamburini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | When the imagination conjures up an image of an Egyptian mummy, it is normally one of a human body wrapped with undyed linen bandages. However, the reality was much more colourful, as shown by the set of red mummy shrouds and textile fragments from Pharaonic Egypt considered in this work. The textiles were subjected to scientific investigation with the main aim of shedding light on the sources of red colour and on the possible reasons for the different levels of colour fading. The red colourants were investigated using various non-invasive and micro-invasive approaches. The results pointed towards the presence of three sources of red colour, which, in increasing order of lightfastness, are safflower (<i>Carthamus tinctorius</i>), madder (<i>Rubia</i> spp.), and red ochre. Micro-morphological observations and elemental analyses also enabled some hypotheses to be formulated regarding the application of these colourants to the textiles. The results not only deepen our knowledge of dyeing technologies in ancient Egypt and shed new light on the function of red shrouds and textiles as part of the funerary practices of Pharaonic Egypt, but are also essential in planning the display and future preservation of these mummies and their associated textiles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T20:20:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85797bea721346109debdd9d405bacab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T20:20:48Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-85797bea721346109debdd9d405bacab2022-12-22T00:52:05ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492019-10-012420376110.3390/molecules24203761molecules24203761Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic EgyptDiego Tamburini0Joanne Dyer1Patrizia Davit2Maurizio Aceto3Valentina Turina4Matilde Borla5Marie Vandenbeusch6Monica Gulmini7Department of Scientific Research, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, UKDepartment of Scientific Research, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, UKDipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Giuria, 7-10125 Torino, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale, viale T. Michel, 11-15121 Alessandria, ItalyFondazione Museo delle Antichità Egizie, Via Accademia delle Scienze, 6–10123 Torino, ItalySoprintendenza Archeologia belle arti e paesaggio per la città metropolitana di Torino, Piazza S. Giovanni, 2-10122 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Egypt and Sudan, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, UKDipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Giuria, 7-10125 Torino, ItalyWhen the imagination conjures up an image of an Egyptian mummy, it is normally one of a human body wrapped with undyed linen bandages. However, the reality was much more colourful, as shown by the set of red mummy shrouds and textile fragments from Pharaonic Egypt considered in this work. The textiles were subjected to scientific investigation with the main aim of shedding light on the sources of red colour and on the possible reasons for the different levels of colour fading. The red colourants were investigated using various non-invasive and micro-invasive approaches. The results pointed towards the presence of three sources of red colour, which, in increasing order of lightfastness, are safflower (<i>Carthamus tinctorius</i>), madder (<i>Rubia</i> spp.), and red ochre. Micro-morphological observations and elemental analyses also enabled some hypotheses to be formulated regarding the application of these colourants to the textiles. The results not only deepen our knowledge of dyeing technologies in ancient Egypt and shed new light on the function of red shrouds and textiles as part of the funerary practices of Pharaonic Egypt, but are also essential in planning the display and future preservation of these mummies and their associated textiles.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/24/20/3761natural dyespharaonic egyptarchaeological textilescolour fastnessmulti-analytical approachmordants |
| spellingShingle | Diego Tamburini Joanne Dyer Patrizia Davit Maurizio Aceto Valentina Turina Matilde Borla Marie Vandenbeusch Monica Gulmini Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt Molecules natural dyes pharaonic egypt archaeological textiles colour fastness multi-analytical approach mordants |
| title | Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt |
| title_full | Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt |
| title_fullStr | Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt |
| title_full_unstemmed | Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt |
| title_short | Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt |
| title_sort | compositional and micro morphological characterisation of red colourants in archaeological textiles from pharaonic egypt |
| topic | natural dyes pharaonic egypt archaeological textiles colour fastness multi-analytical approach mordants |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/24/20/3761 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT diegotamburini compositionalandmicromorphologicalcharacterisationofredcolourantsinarchaeologicaltextilesfrompharaonicegypt AT joannedyer compositionalandmicromorphologicalcharacterisationofredcolourantsinarchaeologicaltextilesfrompharaonicegypt AT patriziadavit compositionalandmicromorphologicalcharacterisationofredcolourantsinarchaeologicaltextilesfrompharaonicegypt AT maurizioaceto compositionalandmicromorphologicalcharacterisationofredcolourantsinarchaeologicaltextilesfrompharaonicegypt AT valentinaturina compositionalandmicromorphologicalcharacterisationofredcolourantsinarchaeologicaltextilesfrompharaonicegypt AT matildeborla compositionalandmicromorphologicalcharacterisationofredcolourantsinarchaeologicaltextilesfrompharaonicegypt AT marievandenbeusch compositionalandmicromorphologicalcharacterisationofredcolourantsinarchaeologicaltextilesfrompharaonicegypt AT monicagulmini compositionalandmicromorphologicalcharacterisationofredcolourantsinarchaeologicaltextilesfrompharaonicegypt |