Dyes from indigo are similar - indican (indoxyl + glucose), which is colorless, goes into solution (traditionally by using stale urine for the ammonia to make the solution basic), the glucose is bacterially digested, the soluble colorless chemical travels to the fiber, the indoxyls combine with oxygen while in the fiber to give indigotin & things turn blue! -absolutely magic! J. N. Lyles (The Art & Craft of Natural Dyeing) says that the snails seem to produce varying concentrations of indigotin & dibromoindigo(more reddish purple). The snail would have the pigments, which are not soluble in water - the caustic soda & boiling water would make alkaline conditions to release them to go into the fiber, the air would provide the oxygen to bring out the color & set it in the fiber. More magic!
Patty -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kelly Grant Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 6:59 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [h-cost] Blue on Judith Funny how this comes up today! Last night on 'Naked Archeaologist' the show was about the colour blue in ancient times. How it was produced from the snail. The trick to getting blue from the snail was to expose the dye to sunlight. The ultra violet light produces a very vivid blue, if not exposed the dye will come out purple. I thought it was fasinating. There is also quite a controversy in some sects of the Jewish faith over the use of snails or cuttlefish to produce the dye. The archeaological evidence suggests snails though, due to the amount of snail shells at dye sites. How they suggest the dye is made rotten dried up snail caustic soda boiling water sunlight I am not a dyer, so I don't say this would work, I also don't know the quantities of each. It was interesting to see them dye the fibre though...when it first came out of the dye pot it was yellow, then once rung out of liquid and probably exposed to the air turned blue before their eyes! Discussion????? Kelly An insolent reply from a polite person is a bad sign. Hippocrates (c.460-c.370 bc), Greek physician >From: Kathy Page <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >On another list I am on, a topic coming up regarding the relevance the >colour blue is to Jewish women came up, relative to the Book of Judith and >all the spin off paintings it has created particularly in Italian ren >paintings. > _________________________________________________________________ Find a local pizza place, music store, museum and more...then map the best route! Check out Live Local today! http://local.live.com/?mkt=en-ca/ _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
