Blue Skirts Golden Belts - Sinihameet Kultavyot - Finnish Clothing Exhibit

Colourful Woven Bands

The clothing was trimmed with colourful woven bands, that were used as ties or belts. Although the fabrics at first glance looked brown, on closer study many of the band trims used red and blue yarns. Because yellows and greens tend to fade more easily, it was difficult to see whether these colours had also been present.

By using chromatography analysis one could determine the dyeplants that were used. However, the expense of this type of analysis is prohibitive.

Blue

Blue was the most used colour in many of the fabrics from the gravesites. Blue may have come from Dyers Woad, Värimorsinko (FI) Vejde (SE) Isatis tinctoria, but this is questioned by archaeologist Juri Peets because woad is not native to Finland and was exported from Southern Europe in 1000 A.D.

Blue from Mushrooms

Thelephora
With iron or tin mordants, yields greens and blues.

Hydnellum suaveolens, Tuoksuorakka

Sarcodon imbricatus, Suomuorakas
Yields blues if it is old and its top has darkened.

Hapalopilus rutilans, Okrakaapa
With ammonia, yields strong, colourfast violet blue shades.

Cortinarius violaceus
Produces violet blue shades, and with an iron mordant, dark greys.

Red

Red could have been dyed with madder (Rubia tinctoria) which was used in central Europe since 800 A.D. but it is unknown whether it was imported to Finland during the Iron Age. Red can also be produced from native plants such as:

Northern Bedstraw Galium boreale,

Ahomatara

Hedge Bedstraw Galium album mollugo,

Paimenmatara

Lady's Bedstraw Galium verum,

Keltamatara

Dyers Woodruff 'Asperula tinctoria,

Varimaratin

To produce reds from these plants much more of the dyestuff is needed for strong colours than with madder, approximately twice the weight of dyestuff to yarn. Because only small amounts of yarn were dyed - for the narrow bands, it is possible that the local plants were used. By varying the temperature and acidity of the dyebath, different shades of reds, oranges and violets could be produced.

St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum, Hyperisiini

The stems and flower buds of the St. John's Wort can produce orange/reds. To get stronger colour soak the stems & buds in alcohol for a few hours before placing in a dyebath.

Reds from Mushrooms

The Dermocybe family of mushrooms produces oranges and reds. Additon of an iron mordant gives darker shades and almost black. With older mushrooms, longer cooking times or the addition of ammonia can give lilac shades. Low heat or the addition of acid or vinegar gives warm reds.

Dictyophora cinnabarina

Cortinarius semisanguineus