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Blue pigments in Central Asia
#1
Hello,

I'm looking for shades of paints that are plausible for wood, leather, etc. gear among Skythians, other Central Asians, and Iranians in the Achaemenid and earlier periods.  I'm particularly interested in how often one should expect to see blue paint and in what shades.  I know that lapis lazuli was traded from Afghanistan, and I understand it was pretty rare and expensive.  I'm also aware that azurite deposits exist in Iran and Kazakhstan, but I don't know if it was used as a pigment in this period, or just as a copper ore.  There was also apparently smalt used as a pottery glaze, and Egyptian blue.

What I'd really like to know is, was there a pigment that was used for blue anywhere near as commonly as, say, ochres were for red and yellow, and if so, what did it look like?  Or should I expect to see blue used mainly by wealthier individuals and craftspeople who cater to them?  I used quite a bit of deep blue paint in my kit for Marathon 2015 but lately I'm wondering if I should cut back.
Dan D'Silva

Far beyond the rising sun
I ride the winds of fate
Prepared to go where my heart belongs,
Back to the past again.

--  Gamma Ray

Well, I'm tough, rough, ready and I'm able
To pick myself up from under this table...

--  Thin Lizzy

Join the Horde! - http://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/
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Messages In This Thread
Blue pigments in Central Asia - by Dan D'Silva - 07-02-2017, 08:55 PM
RE: Blue pigments in Central Asia - by Merlkir - 07-06-2017, 10:23 AM
RE: Blue pigments in Central Asia - by Merlkir - 07-07-2017, 04:46 PM

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