Iron age tattoo dye?

[Glosfisher]

Reply to Glosfisher

Hello, come and join the club that makes at least a dozen of us on here ........mine is fibres, clothing, and a fair bit of ethnobotany

On the whole I agree with you, but we do have these tantalising 'glimpses' of the idea of colouring people in designs. Especially up here....and no evidences from actual bodies or from carved stones.......the Braveheart phenomenon is just sooooo bad, I'm still arguing the bit out with actors who were in that damned film who insist that their kit is correct :tapedshut :aargh4: but they slap that blue warpaint on everybody they work with and claim it's authentic

cheers,
Toddy

I certainly think that people and objects were probably highly decorated - just look at the metalwork and pottery (especially in the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age transition). We just have to be a bit careful.

I've even seen Braveheart impersonators at Highland get-togethers in Nova Scotia and Alberta for goodness-sake The Scots have such a proud and distinct national history with so many prominent individuals (King David II for example) why do they have to opt for a load of cobblers invented by a vehemently anti-English Aussie with some very peculiar personal philosophies and behaviour traits?

 

[gregorach]

Well, the "proud and distinct national history" of the Scots has always (OK, for the last couple of hundred years) been based on absurd mythologising of the actual history, so "Braveheart" fits right in. I blame Walter Scott (OK, and Blind Harry). On the other hand, you could regard it as simply indicative of the Scots' love of literature...

A certain professor of Scottish history once said to me: "You know my favourite bit in Braveheart? The bit where Tom Hanks has to repair the oxygen system with sticky tape."

 

[Toddy]

I think I like the way you think not so sure about David2 though, kind of left us poverty stricken, was prepared to hand over to someone both the parliament and the commons would not accept, over the head of a suitable male heir within the family......

Seriously though, I do agree, and yes the beads are another interesting aspect.
I know of a lot of jet and cannel coal being traded and used, amber too.
None of those are blue. The only blues we have are from a fungi that dyes a beautiful blue on linen and wool, from processed woad or there's a blue from copper too. Plain copper mordant will dye wool or linen pale blue.
I can't wear copper or bronze without my skin staining blue, and that's fairly common. Even 'rose' gold can leave me coloured because of the copper in it. I don't doubt that this was just as common in the past, whether it was used or not though

I think I really need to play with some copper and woad

cheers,
Toddy

 

[gregorach]

I have encountered a theory that blue tattoo pigments (if such things were in use) were possibly derived from copper rather than woad... Horribly toxic of course, but they probably wouldn't notice.

 

[Arth]

There is a 8 century Irish text refering to a blue tattoed leg

From a lingistic friend of mine;

'ica ta in colpa glas iarna crechadh', 'he had a blueish-coloured shin that had been tattooed'

 

[Toddy]

I'd have thought that was awfully late on for tattooing.
The Christian church had a goodish hold by then and they were very against anything that
defaced man since he was made in God's image.

Interesting though

cheers,
Toddy

 

[rik_uk3]

A lot of the old boys here in South Wales have blue 'Tattoos' from working in coal mines and coal dust getting into cuts.

 

[Arth]

I'd have thought that was awfully late on for tattooing.
The Christian church had a goodish hold by then and they were very against anything that
defaced man since he was made in God's image.

Interesting though

cheers,
Toddy

Converting a whole country would of taken time. Nice to know that there was evidence of pagan pratice even in the 8th century.

There is also a law made ( if I'm correct) in England in the 10th century outlawing "heathern altars". Well beyond England being officaly Christain.

 

[gregorach]

There is a 8 century Irish text refering to a blue tattoed leg

From a lingistic friend of mine;

'ica ta in colpa glas iarna crechadh', 'he had a blueish-coloured shin that had been tattooed'

Are you sure that doesn't simply refer to the natural skin colour of the Irish and Scots?