Practical uses for the dyes and samples
My first samples from recipe 113 produced a fabulous mustard yellow. Using the leftover and buckthorn berries from the original dye bath, I reheated them in some fresh water and dyed a few skeins of homespun yarn which I then used to make a Sprang hat fashioned in the style of those found on early Grecian urns and a small pouch.
 | Two examples of hair coverings from Grecian urns |
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 | The Sprang hair covering I made along with the small pouch. For the hair covering I added some natural brown homespun castle milk moorit for contrast. |
 | The Sprang loom used to make the hair covering and the work in progress |
| The top border , used to tie the hat in place, was woven as a simple band with an extended weft that became the warp of the sprang. Achieved in the same way as a starting border on a warp weighted loom. It was then attached to the wooden frame. |  |
 | The pouch was also made using the Sprang technique but didn’t need a starting border. The warp is wound directly onto the frame and woven. |
| I only had small amounts of the elusive purple and the other dyed samples of yarn so it was a challenge to think of what to do with them. I decided to make a few coasters, but they could be incorporated into a larger project in the future if needed. |  |
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I hope you’ve enjoyed my short journey into the Stockholm and Leyden Payri. When I have repeated the experiments already done I will try out a couple more and post the results for you to see. If you have any questions please contact me here at Diary of a Saxon Weaver.
Links and Further Information
Papyri The full translation
Our mini presentation at the Dyes in History and Archaeology Conference 2022 – DHA41
More information about the original Dye Project
Wikipedia definitions of the Papyri
Dye Recipes from the Stockholm Papyri
Papyrus Graecus Holmiensis, One of the Earliest Complete Papyrus Codices on a Secular Subject
Papyrus Graecus Holmiensis. Images of the actual papyrus.
Interesting reading MRS BULLETIN/OCTOBER 1995
Purple Fabrics and Garments in Akkadian Documents
Natural Dyes, Our Global Heritage of Colors
Dominique Cardon
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, cardon.dominique@wanadoo.fr