Biocolourants have been investigated as alternatives to synthetic dyes. However, natural origin per se is not a label of harmlessness and research is needed to obtain safe dyes. We studied the cytotoxicity of the extracts from fungal (Cortinarius semisanguineus, Tapinella atrotomentosa) and plant (Tanacetum vulgare, Salix phylicifolia) sources and the woollen fabrics dyed with the extracts. Cytotoxicity in vitro using hepa-1 mouse hepatoma cells for 24 h and 72 h exposure was observed as the highest tolerated dose. All biocolourants produced intensive colour on fabrics with fastness properties from moderate to good. The Salix and Cortinarius samples did not show any cytotoxic effects, whereas the Tanacetum and Tapinella samples had slightly higher test values but were not interpreted as being significantly toxic. Higher than zero values of the undyed fabrics showed the importance of examining their toxicity as well. It was found that the cytotoxicity of the samples dyed with the biocolourants did not differ significantly from the undyed wool fabric. The concentrations of dyes used in the assays were very low, imitating the dose of the user. In addition to colouring properties, natural dyes may have pharmaceutical and antibacterial properties which would enhance the interest in using them in products for added value.

Red is undoubtedly one of the principal colors in Iranian carpets. During the twentieth century, a golden era for Iranian carpet production and export industry, madder was still one of the primary constituents of the red dyestuff, used according to various dyeing methods which is specific for Iran. Compared to the earlier periods, the said period witnessed a clear increase in the hues of the color red and in the alternation of physical and visual properties. We, therefore, aim to get a better insight into the chemical and physical properties of the component which made it all possible—dyes. To this effect, eighteen red wool samples with various hues were collected from seven Iranian carpets belonging to the aforementioned period (from Ali Mirzaei’s private collection) and analyzed using three techniques: reversed-phase-high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC-DAD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) and colorimetry. We also studied traditional dying recipes to underpin the scientific process involved. We focused on recipes based on madder, which are mordanted with organic additives such as qarehqurut (a kind of Iranian dairy product; also known as Gharehghorut). These substances, additionally, helped control the acidity of the dyebath; a common technique from the period. The effect of these substances on the hue, the associated red dye chemistry, various visual and physical properties, including color fastness, are reported. Our study revealed, among other facts, that the additive qarehqurut is highly efficient at improving color absorption and at increasing lightfastness. Another salient finding was that, besides madder, various synthetic dye sources were used by the twentieth century “traditional” Iranian red dyeing industry.

This manuscript explores the potential of macro-X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) for the non-invasive analysis of heritage textiles. XRF, especially with the portable instruments, is a well-known technique for the non-destructive examination of various cultural heritage objects. It allows analysis of elemental composition based on single-point measurements. However, large, or complex textiles require numerous analysis points to identify the materials used and correctly interpret the spectra. MA-XRF takes this type of research to the next level, as it is possible to visualise the element distribution over an entire mapped area. In this paper, we discuss the application of this technique to the study of complex and multi-layered textile objects from exceptional Belgian heritage collections, including two mitres attributed to Bishop Jacques de Vitry, dating between twelfth and thirteenth century, and two of the seven extremely fine medieval reliquary purses from Namur. These are very fragile, richly decorated textile objects whose current state of preservation is a major impediment to sampling. MA-XRF mapping was applied for the identification of the elements of different materials in a non-invasive manner, including metal threads, ink, dyes, and various materials used in illuminations. In addition to material identification, stratigraphic information was obtained from the visualisation of element distributions, and hidden structural details were discovered. MA-XRF was also tested on some areas with more relief, such as the embroidery and braid made with metal threads, and the undulated multi-layered structure of the parchment mitre. Even though the analyses here could not be carried out in optimal conditions, these locations could also be analysed, albeit at a lower resolution. Finally, the technique proved very effective as a tool for screening, allowing samples to be taken at a more informative and representative location and minimising sampling.

The relationship between bibliographic and archival research, on the one hand, and object-based study, on the other, forms a very important basis for research into historical production techniques. Several written sources provide insight into the recipes for dyeing black in the past. Yet, this does not guarantee that these written recipes are representative of an entire society or were used in the dyers practice. The way to assess how closely practical dyeing and written sources are aligned entail the chemical analysis of historical textiles. This article focuses on the identification of the ingredients used to dye wool black in the case of well-preserved and dated (1650-1850) historical textiles from five Belgian archives and some remaining historical artefacts. The results are compared with the technical knowledge of dyeing and the ingredients mentioned in written sources from the same period. The aim is to refine the knowledge of the different black dye ingredients used in practice in Northwest Europe during the period.

Summary: Using the organic artefacts from the fourth‐century BC grave at Bulhakovo in southern Ukraine, this article discusses the economics of the perishable material culture of the Scythians of the Pontic Steppe region. Thanks to the survival of organic materials (wood, leather, textiles), the burial provides important information about the complex networks of production and exchange that existed in European Scythia. Scientific analyses produced new data regarding materials and techniques used for the production of wooden, leather and textile objects, providing an opportunity for a more nuanced discussion of their production and consumption.

Organic colorants of textiles found in the female burial of Lieto Ristinpelto, SW Finland, were analyzed by HPLC-PDA. The textiles’ visible colors varied from different brownish shades to blueish, greenish, and reddish hues. The aim of the chromatographic analysis was to deepen the current understandings of the dyes used in Finland at the transition between the 12th and 13th centuries AD, i.e., at the beginning of the local Medieval period, and to contribute important new information about dyes and clothing from this less-known period of textile history of Finland. The textile finds consisted of a bronze spiral ornamented shawl, an apron tied at the waist, two tablet-woven bands, and a diagonally plaited band with plaited tassels. A unique find was a textile possibly made using the sprang technique. Other textile finds were an orange wool tabby and twill fragments. Analysis of thirty samples from fourteen different textiles indicated that woad colorants were present in most samples, accompanied with lichen compounds, and dyer’s madder was in two visually orange fragments. The visually reddish samples contained luteolin, but no red colorants.