Identification of Dyes in Coptic Textiles from the Museum of Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University

Ioannis Karapanagiotis,Omar Abdel-Kareem,Dimitrios Mantzouris,Paraskevi Kamaterou

doi:10.3390/heritage4040176

Abstract

High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to a Diode-Array-Detector (HPLC-DAD) is used to investigate samples which were extracted from ancient Egyptian textiles (4th–5th c. AD) of the Museum of Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University. Madder is identified in several samples. According to semi-quantitative results, which are obtained from HPLC peak areas measured at 254 nm, madder that is rich in purpurin and poor in alizarin is identified in samples which were treated (i) only with madder and (ii) with madder and either indigo/woad (Indigofera species and other/Isatis tinctoria L.) or weld (Reseda luteola L.). The madder dye used in these samples could have been originated from Rubia peregrina L. However, the possible use of Rubia tinctorum L. (or other plants of the Rubiaceae family) by the Egyptian dyers cannot be ruled out, particularly if methods were developed by the ancient dyers to affect and control the relative composition of madder dye. The HPLC peak area ratio of alizarin versus purpurin is very high (>2.2) for samples which were treated with madder (probably originated from R. tinctorum) and a tannin source. Finally, in some samples, only indigoid dyes (indigo/woad) are identified.

Highlights

The Coptic textiles of the Museum of Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University, have been obtained either through excavations that were carried out by the University or as gifts given by the Arab Antiquities House (Museum of Islamic Art), the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Antiquities and several individuals
AD) of the Museum of Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University: madder, weld (Reseda luteola L.) and indigoid dyes which can be either indigo (Indigofera species and other) or woad (Isatis tinctoria L.). These identifications were achieved as alizarin, purpurin, rubiadin, apigenin, luteolin, chrysoeriol, indigotin and indirubin were detected in the chromatograms of the investigated samples
It is reported that these samples were treated with a madder source which was rich in purpurin and poor in alizarin

Summary

Introduction

The Coptic textiles of the Museum of Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University, have been obtained either through excavations that were carried out by the University or as gifts given by the Arab Antiquities House (Museum of Islamic Art), the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Antiquities and several individuals. Examples of these valuable objects are shown in the photographs in Figure 1 [1]. A dye which should be similar to American annatto (Bixa orellana L.) has been included in the results of ancient Egyptian textiles, reported by Verhecken [5]

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Conclusion