Textile color

[Doc]

Is scarlet red similar or different to kermes red.

I was thinking of using scarlet red for my sagum since I cannot find kermes red dyed wool.

Another question: would it be "accurate" to use blood red dyed wool for a paludamentum.

One last question: Would it be "accurate" to use a deep blue border and fringes as the sagum edges.

Any help or comments would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Carlton Bach]

'Scarlet' is a modern designation that only slowly acquired the meaning of a colour, originally designating a type of fabric. Thus, modern 'scarlet' can vary quite a bit, depending on who does the interpreting.

Now, according to Schweppe (Handbuch der Naturfarbstoffe, pp. 560-561), kermes (and its common modern substitute, cochineal) is a very versatile dyestuff that can produce everything from dark blood reds to orange-tinted bright tones and pinks. So I guess kermes red *can* correspond to scarlet, but need not.

I don't know about the paludamentum.

As to the sagum, dark blue (like all strong colours) would have been comparatively expensive. We know that some saga were extremely luxurious high-status items, so it is not out of the question at all, but Schlabow's Textilfunde der Eisenzeit aus Norddeutschland also lists fairly unassuming finds. I would certainly only want to combine a dark blue border with a high-quality fabric, if possible one patterned in the same colour.

[Doc]

Carlton,

Thanks for the response. I was thinking of using a medium weight wool that has some type of weave (tablet weave, twill etc) and have the borders with the same pattern woven in (I hope I can) and use the excess as the fringe.

Of course the issue is that weaving borders into a garment may requires a loom and that could get expensive. So maybe the next best thing would be to sew it on. The objective is to get something plausible I guess.

Would you then suggest therefore that using a rich scarlet red color (not to bright but more towards a darker red) would be the way to go?

Thanks

[Doc]

Carlton,

Can you please calrify what you mean by the bottom statement?


"if possible one patterned in the same colour".



Thanks

[Carlton Bach]

Carlton,

Can you please calrify what you mean by the bottom statement?


"if possible one patterned in the same colour".

The famous Thorsberg sagum, for example, has a blue fringe, and is woven in a chequer pattern (I always want to call it plaid, but I'm told it isn't) in shades of the same colour. Typically, northern European high-status clothing at the time would have been patterned. Many surviving saga are. So the fringe and edge should, ideally, match the colours found in the main weave (as, if produced in the same process, it automatically would). Sorry, I'm a bit under time pressure, am I being reasomnabnly clear?

[Doc]

Carlton,

Thanks again. Yes it is clear. I appreciate it.


Paolo