M. Járó - L. Költő szerk.: Archaeometrical research in Hungary (Budapest, 1988)
Analysis - TIMÁR-BALÁZSY Ágnes: Investigation of dyes on textiles from the collections of Hungarian museums
TIMÁR-BALÁZSY Ágnes* INVESTIGATION OF DYES ON TEXTILES FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF HUNGARIAN MUSEUMS Abstract Results of dye investigation on museum textiles can serve as a valuable contribution to the determination of age, the revealing of forgeries, the identification of parts belonging together and the choice of appropriate cleaning and conservation methods. The study gives a survey on the analytical methods for identifying natural and synthetic dyes, and on the results of investigations. By evaluating the results of dye investigations on 10 groups of textiles samples of different age and origin, several examples prove the value of dye analysis in the work of curators and restorers. Introduction It was more than fifty years ago that Pfister published the first study on the wet analytical method for dye investigation. His method was used in Hungary by the chemist Maria Hajnal in the 1960s when she identified dyes on several museum textiles with the collaboration of Walter Endrei, historian of technology. With the help of other researchers I had the possibility to continue her work through developing a laboratory for dye investigation at the National Centre of Museums. 1. The aim of dye investigations of museum textiles 1.1. Identification of age and revealing forgeries Most of the mineral, plant and animal dyes were known to mankind as early as prehistoric times [1]. Written sources are available for the study of textile dyeing recipes since the antiquity. The ancient Greek scholars of botany and medicine, Theophrastus (372-287 B. C.) and Dioscurides (1st c. B. C), gave an account on the dyeing qualities of saffron, weld, woad, orchil, alkanat root, thapsia, lotus and madder in their works [2]. Pliny (23-79 A. D.) lists pomegranate, mulberry and safflower besides the ones mentioned above in his "História naturalis" [3]. The 70 recipes of the Papyrus Holmiensis from the 3rd and 4th centuries refer to and advise on the producing of purple colour. Most often dyeing by kermes, Polish cochineal (referred to as krimnos), alkanna, madder, orchil and henna on an indigo base (probably dyed by woad) is suggested. Further dyestuffs are saffron, safflower, alkanet and Persian berries. The employment of ochre, cinnabar and oripment is also mentioned [4]. The trilogy entitled"Heraclius, de coloribus et ambus Romanorum" (The crafts and colours of the Romans) from the 10th c. is probably the first source to mention Brazil wood referring to it as "brexilium" and "brasilium" [5]. Theophilus (12th c.) reports on dyeing with elderberry, onion-skin, red cabbage, blackthorn and beetroot besides the dyes mentioned so far in his 'Tüversarum artium schedula" (The register of various crafts) [6]. The first printed recipe book on textile dyeing from 1513 the "Tbouck Wondre" (The Book of Wonders) probably contains the first mention in a medieval European formularly on employing turmeric [7]. Rosetti's recipe collection from 1540 already mentions two types of kermes: oriental kermes (coining from Asia * National Centre of Museums H-1087 Budapest, Könyves K. krt. 40
