Iron Age Dyes: Woad, Weld & Madder

Preparing for, and demonstrating Iron Age dyes at the Burnham Beeches archaeology open day, Sept 2019. Working with Woad, Weld and Madder and taking inspiration form the analysis of Iron Age archaeological textiles, see how many shades we can achieve with these vegetable and plant dyes.
I now have a 'buy me a coffee' page which helps fund my ongoing research and the making of these free videos. If you'd like to support me, please visit ko-fi.com/sallypointer Thank you!

[@kirstenpaff8946]

It's interesting that costume designers often stick to a brown, grey, and tan color range when they want to show natural colors or peasant clothing, when in reality there were a wide range of colors available to people.

[@SallyPointer]

Part of that is just designers feeling it's the easiest way to show 'difference', but it's also very likely that a lot of more functional clothing would be undyed and use the natural shades of sheep. I agree though, that the colours possible are far more exciting than many costume designers go with.

[@soxpeewee]

I imagine dyclothing would be cheaper and easier than adding other embellishments to clothing

[@mamaspatch]

@@SallyPointer Do you reckon they might have had "dye days" where all the local ladies would have gotten together and shared in the work, and results? I have this image in my mind... I guess the really intricate patterns would have been for the higher classes chiefs and such. It's interesting that Druids are so often depicted with pure white robes, I wonder if they would have actually had massively multicoloured ones to show their status? Just my personal musings, the everyday lives of the neolithic-iron ages fascinate me!

[@ragnkja]

@@mamaspatch Pure bright white required unpigmented wool, and actually some kind of treatment as well because even the whitest wool has a slight yellow hue.

[@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice]

@@mamaspatch I heard that beautiful intricate sewing patterns were actually fairly common among working class because they repaired their own clothes to extend their life, and the complex sewing added strength to the weak spot, as well as being a little bit of fun. Similar to how teens in the 90's would sew bandana cloth behind jean holes or close things with large, contrasting thread. It's a repair AND a fashion element.

[@EconaelGaming]

I've seen evidence, that people wore brightly colored clothes in the iron ages, at a museum in Copenhagen: They had a preserved iron age wool skirt, which had gotten dark brown over the years, but they had looked at it under a microscope and found bright red pigments!

[@SallyPointer]

That's right, she had a red skirt and blue shawl

[@Ashen.Elixer]

Well, now i know why herbalists and dyemakers were considered magic! Ive never actually seen the woad blieing process in action - that was beautiful witchcraft!

[@angelcollina]

No kidding! Straight up magic!

[@elsakristina2689]

Kids back then must’ve thought it was such a treat to get to see the yarn turn all the pretty colours.

[@TheErilaz]

The Spælsau (eng. Norwegian Short Tail Landrace) has two layers of wool: An outer longhaired glossy undulating layer of wool protecting the underlying layer against wind and rain, and an underlying layer which keeps the sheep warm. The long protective wool which is used for weaving is traditionally spun into two-strand tightly-spun yarn instead of the usual three-strand type. Viking ship sails was made from this type of wool, and treated to be waterproof with a mixture of fir-tar, fish oil, and sheep’s tallow, brushed onto the sail to keep it windproof and water repellent. The strong guard hairs were spun clockwise to be used for warp, to make the sail strong enough to withstand the wind, and the softer wool was spun counterclockwise to be used for a weft that would shrink and full to make the sail windtight. A 1000-square-foot replica sail took almost a million feet of thread (100 square meters; 300,000 meters of thread!), and it took two women four and a half years to make, using the wool of more than 200 sheep.

[@trish8765]

Looking at the shade variation that came from using water where you live to water at this site with the same dye makes me wonder if people were identified to the area of the country they came from not only by language/accent but also by the shades in the colours of the cloth they wore. Fascinating watch, pleased I came across your channel while flitting.

[@troberts1]

My local yarn shop, which has sadly been closed for a few years, the one owner dyed yarn. Obviously she used modern acid dyes, but because black walnuts are like everywhere around here, she used them to make a beautiful soft honey-brown yarn. And because black walnuts are really high in tannins you didn't even need to source a mordent, it was a dye and mordent all in one.

[@SallyPointer]

Walnuts are a great dye, in Britain, we only have them post Roman though, hence not including them in this project. Really nice to work with unripe walnut husks

[@troberts1]

​@@SallyPointer Oh yes! Wasn't a suggestion. The video made me remember I was familiar with one natural dye already. The eastern American black walnut would not have been useful to an Iron Age Briton. haha Barely useful to the average person now, more likely to trip on them as they litter your lawn, before the squirrels collect them all, but some people do actually eat them.

[@livrasyt166]

Just stumbled on your chanel. I think I just found a hidden gem

[@uribove]

A friend of mine does iron age reenactment and they often use reed plumes to dye. If you harvest them when they are bright purple they make a super lovely vibrant green.

[@SallyPointer]

I'd love the reference that ties that to an archaeological find if you could ask them for it, I only know it as a more modern dye. Thanks!

[@uribove]

@@SallyPointer unfortunately our paths diverged just before the pandemic hit, but I will send an email to the organization he does it with! Once I have an answer I'll get back to you! It might be they used it as a substitute for a similar color profile

[@soxpeewee]

Glad you are showing people that colors were an option for centuries.

[@squatchburger1580]

The work just to get colour in your clothes must have been immense, it puts our throw away society to shame , lovely video by the way .

[@Dragonessa5]

I'm absolutely amazed! Every picture or movie about the Iron Age shows people wearing usually quite dull beige-grey or dark brown colours. If they have been using so many dyes for their clothes, it's fascinating to think how colourful their life might have been! I'm really happy I came across your channel!

[@jwolfe1209]

Don't forget a small stampede's worth of shiny black leather!

[@tinuvianna]

@@jwolfe1209 😂

[@jeffburnham6611]

My family ancestry descends from the Long Crendon area since the 1100's. That area was important to history since the town, along with Aylesbury, were the only places in all of England where needles were made. Something a seamstress or tailor certainly would have needed for their profession.

[@graceygrumble]

*steel needles

[@imelenaandimakethings9542]

I am so inspired by your results! I just got into this, and most often I'm disappointed with my results. I appreciate videos like yours- It's wonderful to see how many beautiful colors can be had!

[@Agaettis]

I never realized this many colors were possible

[@StarJellie]

I lived right near Burnham beeches at the time! Can't believe I missed this event

[@annejensen5085]

Thank you so much for doing this video. It was exactly the information on colour range I was after! I didn't know the woad actually worked on textiles, I thought it turned dark with oxygen.

[@amandajstar]

Love the baskets with those lovely colours in them....

[@angelcollina]

Oh my goodness! Dye is so fascinating! I’ve never really been exposed to dying naturally or chemically except once in 6th grade where we made tie-dye t-shirts. But even then the only thing the kids did was bind up their shirts with rubber bands. The dying was the adults’ job.

[@Metaphix]

Really cool video thanks

[@Suburbanstoneage]

I love your channel! I am so glad to have found it, we share a lot of the same interests. I really enjoyed this video on natural dyes, I've used Oak Galls as well to good effect. Keep up the great work, I can't wait to watch more videos!

[@SallyPointer]

Thank you!

[@emmabroughton2039]

Absolutely fascinating, thank you!

[@anniebrahe3301]

It looks great! So interesting.

[@marystonge5547]

I really enjoyed this, thank you.

[@sigma6656]

00:57 Whoa there sally, Step away from the battleaxe! Nobody needs to get hurt! Lets talk about this first!

[@angelcollina]

I need something to dye!!

[@sophiafeist6211]

This video is wonderfully made- you explain everything so well and thoroughly. Thank you!

[@daniellecharland-gruhzit7788]

How interesting! And BEAUTIFUL COLORS!!!

[@boop7313]

Fascinating! Thankyou for the video and sharing your knowledge and beautiful creations, it's so amazing!

[@jodhidee2851]

This is so interesting!

[@constantinaolstedt]

So much lovely chemistry in textile coloring. Thanks from Stockholm Sweden 🌷

[@ravenmaclennan3512]

I just found your video, how inspiring you're!!!!

[@pinkiebrain7597]

Another great video! 👍 Your channel is one of only a few were I have activated the bell so I get notified when a new video comes up. 😊 Looking forward to the next ones.

[@debhulks]

Facinating. Only done modern dyeing. Love your outfit.

[@peggyeyler5193]

just found your channel today.. Love it!!!!

[@Wildevis]

Asa natural dyer, this is an awesome video and well done!!

[@destructionindustries1987]

Fascinating

[@carole2077]

The colours are so nice. I should be working but I have watched 3 of your videos. Really interesting.

[@EconaelGaming]

These colors are prettier than the industrial ones!

[@SallyPointer]

Thank you! I was really pleased with the day's results.

[@karendoyle7999]

Great video

[@eowenspa2]

This stuff is just great,l love diversity and the experimentation involved,l have to get involved in thiseven the planting ,gardening ,foraging is good for the soul,the only thing ld do different is that ld have to put a few pork and apple sausages over the wood fire whilst heating the dye pots

[@pumpkinplanet608]

Just like Anatolian kilims ,wonderful

[@lilmissmonsterrr]

THIS SO COOL 😍 teach me your ways 🙏

[@onegreenev]

The alchemist. Love Jacob Fleece. I still have two. Lost one to moths. Need to store in tight plastic containers. Not just plastic bags. Lovely colors. Nature provides some wonderful colors. I have done Walnut Leaves, Rose Hips, and some Lichen for some interesting greenish yellows.

[@SallyPointer]

Try fermenting your lichens, some give amazing purples, reds and blues

[@renatakuti234]

Oxygen, that magical oxygen !! Mind blowing !!! :)

[@shane8037]

This video makes me want to dye.

[@SallyPointer]

Definitely have a go, you don't need many dyes to get a good range of shades

[@shane8037]

@@SallyPointer I'll start with onion skins and get some madder and woad if I like it

[@shirleybose3143]

love the pastely shades. Why do we always stick to blacks and greys????? Thanks

[@slhughes1267]

That woad looks like it handles much easier than an indigo bath. Gorgeous colors from it. May have to try it. If you want a better red from your madder, put a bit of KOH/lye into the bath, the pH shift does wonders. And yeah, the water and its mineral content makes a huge difference. Might ant to look up the book "Wild Color" by Jenny Dean. Not Ancient dyework plant as such, but local wild plant colors. Wild cherry/black cherry and apple bark--domestic, wild and all their relatives--makes a really dark red.

[@SallyPointer]

I know Jenny's work well! I get more orange tones with vinegar and madder though.

[@jockjammer3443]

My dearest Ladye Pointer, I am much pleased and deliyted to see such Dyes and colour of lyfe being mayd. One query irks my countance , How do such dyes stand over tyme? How steadfast in divyne brytness doth last such a colour?Tayking washings and such. Blood and toyl be hard to wash out and hard on the cloth. ( I just subscribed due to this video. I keep trying to explain to people that the middle-ages were by far from devoid of colour. That even prior to the Roman invasion of Britain Celtic textiles were famous for there colours and diversity of patterns and a very valuable export. If These dyes were readily available in 200 AD, they were certainly more available in 700 AD, I would think any Viking worth his salt must have been a quite vibrant fellow indeed and not some furry savage cloaked in grey and brown nor any other person of the early middle-ages. I am however curious as to the overall steadfastness of period dyes. Gods bless you good woman and may you always reach the colours in your heart.)

[@SallyPointer]

There's good reason why dyestuffs like woad, weld and madder occur in most periods where dyes are used. These ones have excellent light and wear fastness. It's quite a contrast to some of the things popular for dyes today which look nice initially but don't last well.

[@jockjammer3443]

@@SallyPointer Thank you so much for your expedient reply! I've been toying with the idea of doing some dying for period clothing myself and was afraid the colours might wash out quickly. You have encouraged me to try it. Thank you for your wonderful videos and good health to you.

[@ragnkja]

The outer cloak might have been grey or brown because the type of wool it was made from was chosen for its water resistant properties and didn’t take dye very well, but every other visible woollen garment, such as hose and tunic, would have been made from less kempy wool that was softer and took dyes well enough to be worth dyeing. The wealthier would have worn richer, more saturated colours, and maybe even colours that were hard to get with just one dye bath. Leafy green is surprisingly hard to get using natural dyes, and requires dyeing the fibre at least twice, and was also hard to make long-lasting and durable. A true black was another one that was difficult and expensive to make long-lasting, but you could get close with just naturally very dark wool. Yellow, on the other hand, can be achieved with a _lot_ of different dyestuffs, and was therefore quite affordable indeed. And even those who couldn’t afford dyes would utilise the natural colours of the wool, so that undyed outer cloak might not necessarily have been just black, brown, grey _or_ white, but could also be a pattern of more than one colour.

[@Just_Sara]

How would a person go about using rusty iron as a mordant? I remember you mentioned it in your oak gall ink video as well, and I'm curious to try it - if I ever find any oak galls, that is. :) Oh yes, and this video is EXCELLENT!

[@SallyPointer]

You can just add some as a modifier to the dyebath' towards the end of dyeing, stopping when the colour change is as you want. That's one of the easiest methods :)

[@MrsMill]

Sally is such a goddess. Cracked me up though when she says " I didn't have any goat fat to hand so I'm using venison" Go Sally, go.

[@SallyPointer]

Just situation normal at my house 😆

[@Kate-nj3ud]

I am finding it hard to believe that fat makes a good soap... 🤢 Do you wash/scour the fleeces before spinning?

[@Kate-nj3ud]

Also, where do you get wood ash from? Is it the remnants of a fire?

[@MrsMill]

@@Kate-nj3ud I wash my fleeces, sometimes a second)third wash for smaller batches.

[@ragnkja]

@@Kate-nj3ud Most soaps nowadays are made from vegetable fats; olive oil and coconut oil are quite fashionable (and also quite traditional in their native ranges).

[@veslemylilleengen8138]

I use urine vat with Indigo, smell horrible but make a great color.

[@SallyPointer]

Yes, it's a really useful method. Not that portable for one day public events though where I need to set the whole thing up and finish it in one day, so I use a chemical vat for speed and lack of smell there 😆

[@marfoo2775]

Interesting video, thank you! You didn't mention the browns on the left I think, how were they dyed?

[@SallyPointer]

You've got undyed shades of sheep in there too, is that what you were looking at?

[@marfoo2775]

@@SallyPointer Oh, haha, of course, the Jacob ...!

[@anepictree]

Hello Sally, I have been watching all your videos so can't remember in which dyeing one you mention the use of a piece of iron and vinegar. I have a fleece washed that I'm ready to spin and really want to try my hand at some natural dying. I have purchased Alun crystals (I'm in France in Brittany and have Alun de potassium crystalisé so hope that is what I need) but am interested in all other forms of mordant - if you have any more info or clues on the iron / vinegar method I would be very interested in following any leads and trying that. I have been looking everywhere for Weld, but so far no luck locally! Thanks again for your content, the history, background as well as the practical demonstrations.

[@SallyPointer]

Iron is mentioned in the Iron Age dyes one, you don't need much. Many people prefer to use it as a modifier after dyeing, so mordant with alum, dye with your plant material, then on the skeins you want to modify, dunk those into a bath of water with a little iron ( or copper) added and that way you can get a range of shades

[@anepictree]

@@SallyPointer Thanks, that's very clear - Can't wait to get going. Just need this incessant rain to stop! Many thanks and best wishes.

[@_year-sb6sy]

Hello, love the video ! I was wondering What would be the best way to achieve a pale pink on a wool dress ? ... I do 14th century reenactment and I want to dye some garments a very pale pink but not purple or red and im not sure what the best option would be . Would a pale blue perhaps be easier ?

[@SallyPointer]

Madder is probably the best option, make sure you use plenty of chalk for pink rather than peach tones. Brazilwood would also be a good option and will give a bluer pink

[@evelynlamoy8483]

bet the gauls used galls. Thank you, thank you, best joke in history, I'll see myself out.

[@VikingMakery]

Hi Sally, how do you use the iron as a mordant and not damage the wool? I'd love to try it!

[@SallyPointer]

Use very tiny amounts, you really don't need much

[@diogenesegarden5152]

Would the tannin from oak bark work as a mordant? I used to peel oak logs for tanning leather years ago.

[@SallyPointer]

Yes, to a large extent. It's not exactly the same effect as using a metal salt like alum, but gives good results.

[@hawthorngrove3629]

I often wonder what would have been used in Australia

[@SallyPointer]

There's a lot of aboriginal knowledge still available, you should be able to make contact with someone still working with local traditional techniques

[@marion6083]

I noticed some dye pots were metal - was the madder in a copper pot? I was just wondering if you were using the metal types to modify colour. Such beautiful results.

[@SallyPointer]

It's fairly roughly tinned inside, but it's a bit beaten up so it's quite possible traces of copper are coming through. Probably not enough to make a huge difference though unless I was using a very acidic dyebath.

[@marionparker8788]

@@SallyPointer thanks Sally, great to know. I'm just planting a madder bed now.. will have to be patient for a while

[@samanthaturner7739]

How colorfast would the un-mordanted yarns be versus the ones treated with mordant?

[@SallyPointer]

Generally less, but so far all the yarn in this batch has held up well for fastness regardless

[@viccolasvic9461]

I have a slight sheep wool allergy would flax, cotton angora or even alpaca wool work okay?

[@SallyPointer]

Dyes will take slightly differently on other fibres, on plant fibres in particular you may need to include tannin in all mordanting stages for best results

[@robinchwan]

not sure you talked about it here but i wanted to ask about coloring with just flower petals and other natural stuff ( boiling then adding the textiles/wool etc) ofcourse you need to wash them first.. i'm gonna try the all natural way with nettle fiber and dying it and was hoping something could stick to it without some special stuff to add that would be harder to find in nature and that needs alot of processing. found a video about it last year and i found it interesting that you could make cloth with nettle and decided to actually try coming this end of summer/start of fall, however would not be complete without finding natural stuff to make dye with ( even just 1 dye would be enough so i have natural color and 1 dyed )

[@SallyPointer]

You are looking at either dyes such as walnut that don't need a mordant, or in the case of most flower based colours, stains rather than dyes. Be aware that most of these will be fugative, so pretty at first, but tending to fade out quickly

[@robinchwan]

@@SallyPointer ah thanks for the answer :) would dying the entire cloth ( if say you make a shirt) with the same color a second time with just 1 color work then ? meaning dye it 1 color then it will fade over time then dye it again with the same color ? or would that damage the cloth ?

[@SallyPointer]

@@robinchwan you could redye periodically, but wouldn't it be better to choose a method/material that is colourfast to start with? So many historical dyes are tried and tested for a reason!

[@robinchwan]

@@SallyPointer it's about going step by step where you teach yourself how to do it and how people used to live back when they had to do these things to survive. and i also have to translate a bunch of videos from english to my native language and it's time consuming and if i want to actually try things out and not lose interest i gotta start doing instead of thinking about it. in short there are things i'm not sure where to get or how to make from things i've learned. sometimes translating a word does nothing but make me more confused when you see the result.

[@lauraleecreations3217]

❤️❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍

[@legofanguyvid]

Wonder if mixing woad and madder would make a fine purple? If anything other than the crustaceans used to make tyrian purple.

[@SallyPointer]

It's certainly been done, but madder is a red on the orange/brown end of things so it lacks the clarity of a murex, insect or lichen purple in most cases.

[@legofanguyvid]

@@SallyPointer Thanks

[@lindenshepherd6085]

@lame duck The only problem with pokeberry is that it isn't very lightfast. I dyed some beautiful purple wool with it, but the color faded within the year even mordanted with alum.

[@juliamira9621]

I'm wondering about using an iron mordant with wool. I thought iron and wool don't mix well?

[@SallyPointer]

Very tiny amounts are used, too much and it can damage the wool

[@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092]

Wonderful channel! Your historical knowledge is impressive! Not sure if you're aware that aloe vera makes a terrific mordant for natural dyes. There is emerging historical evidence it was used widely in ancient times as a mordant for textiles.

[@SallyPointer]

I'd love the reference to that if you have it, I've only seen it mentioned in connection with medicinal uses.

[@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092]

@@SallyPointer Sure! Detailed information on aloe vera as a mordant for natural dyes can be found in the following: A Study on the Effect of Marigold Flower Dye with Natural Mordant on Selected Fibers, by Nilani, et al., JSS College of Pharmacy, Tamilnadu. See especially the section Materials and Methods: F. Extraction of aloe vera juice, G. Formulation of natural dye with mordant. Extraction and Optimization of Natural Dye From Hambo Hambo (Cassia singueana) Plant Used for Coloration of Tanned Leather Materials, by Berhanu and Ratnapandian, Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 2017. And references cited therein, which are extensive. Both are available for free and can be found on Google.

[@SallyPointer]

@@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092 I'll enjoy reading those thanks, do they cover the historic mordant use you mentioned or just modern versions?

[@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092]

@@SallyPointer You're very welcome. I think one of them briefly, but there is more literature on the subject available elsewhere.

[@ZyonSigil]

if you mixed the rust red dye with the light blue dye would the cotton of what ever textile your using become a purple or lavender color? Edit: on that note is there any examples of people mixing dyes to get other colors? This would make a good episode if im honest

[@SallyPointer]

Yes, some archaeological textiles show the use of more than one dyestuff. Some became very famous. A classic example is the 'Lincoln Green' of Robin Hood fame, made by overdying weld with woad, whearas Kendall Green used greenweed and woad.

[@ZyonSigil]

@Sally Pointer i still think this would make a good video but thank you for answering i really appreciate it 😀

[@SallyPointer]

More dye videos will happen at some point. One on overdyeing is a good idea 🙂

[@meaningfulmakings]

Woad: But if you need blue and the liquid is blue I don’t understand the problem. Unless the yellow liquid gives you a darker blue because the reaction happens on the yarn and not in the pot?

[@SallyPointer]

The dye adheres better when the pigment is in a reduced oxygen state, at that point it's yellow and will oxidise blue when the air hits it

[@meaningfulmakings]

@@SallyPointer Thank you. You are amazing.

[@DebraJHayward]

How much woad did you use?

[@SallyPointer]

Not sure now, if you'd asked me the day after I'd probably have remembered!

[@madeinengland1212]

I don’t understand how marble galls can be ‘introduced’ when it s caused by a wasp. And if it’s the climate i think it was warmer then so no reason why the wasp wouldn’t be here.

[@SallyPointer]

We had numerous galls already, but this specific type weren't originally native to Britain. If the galls are picked before the wasp emerges, then it will be transported to wherever the gall goes. It's the same basic reason why biosecurity at borders is so carefully controlled these days , it's really easy to introduce a non local species

[@tanz5389]

How do we know which plant does what ?

[@SallyPointer]

In this case it's a combination of centuries of recorded dye practice combined with scientific analysis of early textiles, looking for the same dye signatures when compared to a database of known dyes. Some are harder to pin down, for example some of the yellow pigments occur fairly widely.

[@tanz5389]

@@SallyPointer thx

[@ThePickledsoul]

Can you deoxygenate the woad by fermenting it like alcohol? I'd rather my clothes smell like booze than piss.

[@ozodari6160]

Did you ever find the answer? I think you can use ethyl alcohol or ammonia from toilet cleaner from what I saw in another video There are lots of ways it seems

[@paulinemegson8519]

I know this is old but I just wanted to clear this up. The cloth doesn’t “smell of piss” once finished because part of the process is washing it once the dye has set. No one wears dyed cloth without washing it. Also, the smell is less of piss and more of ammonia which is what staled urine becomes.

[@fightyfish1779]

w

[@prodigygirl1]

I would love to attend one of your weekends in Buckinghamshire/Slough.