148 



ATTICA. 



greased with suet or animal fat is exposed to the sun. After this 

 process it is coloured by being rubbed with powdered martial vitriol. 

 The skin is polished by being stretched on a horse made of box- 

 wood, on which it is rubbed backwards and forwards with a roller 

 made of the same wood. The skin, when dressed, is worth from 40 

 to 50 paras the oke. The Balanida is brought from Eleusis, and sold 

 at three paras the oke. 



In dyeing the yellow colour, the leaves of the Rhus coriaria are 

 used as the astringent instead of the Balanida ; this is called Povh ; is 

 brought from Samos, and is sold at ten paras the oke. The leaves 

 should be gathered before the tree ripens its fruit, as they then possess 

 their astringent virtue in a superior degree. The skin being pre- 

 pared is put into a vat of boiling water with the powdered grains 

 d' Avignon, or the seeds of the Rhamnus infectorius ; a sufficient 

 quantity is used to give to the water the consistency of a paste. The 

 skin remains in the lixivium until the water is cold, it is then rubbed 

 with the hand, until it is sufficiently coloured. The waters of Athens 

 contain a considerable quantity of salt ; the rain water, and that of 

 the rivers, particularly the Cephissus, are preferred. In our return 

 home we passed by a dyer's, Ba£>ij«-, parcels of yarn, dyed of different 

 colours, were hanging at his door, blue, yellow, green and red ; the 

 blue was dyed with indigo ; the yellow with grains d' Avignon ; an 

 orange colour was drawn from the Chrysoxylon. This is the wood 

 of the Rhus cotinus found in the mountains about Marathon and 

 Pendeli, and is brought to the dyers by the Albanians, of whom it is 

 purchased at two paras the oke. The green is made by the yarn being 

 first dipped in a solution of indigo, then afterwards in that of grains 

 d' Avignon. A violet colour is drawn from a wood called BxKKxftijippwo$ 

 and a red colour from the Bockku^ixokkivo ; the last is sold at a high 

 price. Cochineal is also used in dyeing the silks ; this is purchased 

 at forty piastres the oke. No use is here made of the Kermes, 

 though it is collected in small quantities in the district of Casha ; it 

 is gathered in abundance in the Morea, where it is called tt^vokokki. 



