158 Dr. Schunck on 



Notes on some Ancient Dyes. By Edward Schunck, 

 Ph.D., F.R.S. 



{Received May 4th, 1892.) 



The fragments of ancient dyed fabrics which I have 

 examined I owe to the kindness of Mr. Jl. D. Darbishire. 

 They are specimens from a lot found by Mr. Flinders 

 Petrie, in a tomb at Garob, Lower Egypt, supposed to date 

 from 400-500 A.D. They were used apparently for filling 

 the mummy cases where required, not strictly speaking as 

 grave clothes. My object in examining them was to 

 ascertain, if possible, what were the materials employed in 

 producing the various colours seen on them. The fabrics 

 examined consisted almost entirely of wool. Here and 

 there in the warp of some of the specimens were threads, 

 conspicuous for difference in colour, consisting of linen. 

 The following colours could be distinguished : — blue, yellow, 

 green, red, maroon, purple or claret, black. I will take 

 them in the order named. 



Bine. — The colour of the fabric was a dull medium blue. 

 On treatment with hot caustic lye a great part of the wool 

 dissolved. The residue, which was dark blue, having been 

 filtered off, washed and dried, was treated with boiling 

 aniline, to which it communicated a bright blue colour. 

 The blue solution having been filtered boiling, deposited on 

 cooling a quantity of blue crystalline scales, which, after 

 being filtered off, washed with alcohol and dried, were 

 found to consist of indigo blue. On being treated in a tube 

 they gave a sublimate of regular crystals, blue by trans- 

 mitted, copper-coloured by reflected, light ; they dissolved 

 in concentrated sulphuric, giving a blue solution, and the 



