Image: 2nd-5th century Egyptian tapestry; Source: V&A Museum
Join us on our journey as we endeavour to interpret and recreate the world’s oldest surviving written dye methods, from the Stockholm and Leyden Papyri, written in Thebes approximately 1,800 years ago, during the Roman occupation of Egypt (30 BC – 349 AD).
Steamed or Roasted Madam?
“After bluing sprinkle the wool with ashes and trample it down with them in a convenient manner. Then press the liquid out of potter’s clay and wash off the blued wool therein. Rinse it in salt water and mordant it. You will know if it is sufficiently mordanted when it…
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Expecting To Fail With Mulberries
By Tonya Pettit – New York, USA I decided to take part in this collaboration as something I could do as a homeschooling project with my kiddo. We probably could have chosen a better or more promising dye recipe, but the mystery of creating a “fine excellent purple” from mulberries…
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Sheep Urine Shenanigans
I like to keep life simple. With 4 home educated kids and a flock of sheep, it can get complicated enough some days. So when reading through the papyri methods, I decided I would choose less complicated sounding ones, and when I spotted one using sheep urine, I was sold.…
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Stockholm & Leyden Papyri Dye Project 
Is it possible to see the papyri in a museum? Trying to find more information about it, there’s not a lot available.
Thanks,
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Hi there, according to Wikipedia, the Leyden Papyrus is now kept at Leiden University in the Netherlands (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyden_papyrus_X), but I believe it is actually at the National Museum of Antiquities, also in Leiden and affiliated with the university. The Stockholm Papyrus is at the National Library of Sweden (https://www.wdl.org/en/item/14299/). If you manage to see either in person, let us know!
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Exciting!
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Fascinating!
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