Abstract
The grave from Gokstad in Norway, dating to ca 900 AD, is one of the best-preserved Viking Age ship graves in the world. The grave mound contained a variety of goods along with human remains, buried in a Viking ship. Several textiles, including embroideries and shreds of what might have been the ship’s tent, were also found. The colors of the textile fragments are now severely faded, but the high quality of the embroidery made of gold and silk threads is still apparent. The style of the embroidery is exceptional, having no equivalents in other Scandinavian graves. The analyses by HPLC coupled with both diode array and mass spectrometric detectors revealed that the striped “tent” cloth as well as the silk thread used for the embroidery were originally dyed with anthraquinones of plant origin (alizarin, purpurin, pseudopurpurin, and anthragallol), markers of madder-type dyestuffs.
Highlights
The production of natural dyes for textiles was an important economic factor in the early Middle Ages, and a number of written sources mention the production of madder for sale [1].The period between ca AD 750–1050 is called the Viking Age in Scandinavia
This study presents the results obtained for a set of textile samples collected from the Gokstad Viking ship’s grave
The identification of the coloring materials was achieved through the application of three increasingly harsh extraction procedures, based on dimethyl sulfoxide, EDTA with DMF extraction of the dyestuff from the yarns, followed by a hydrolysis in acidic condition of the residue; the analysis of the extract was performed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection and subsequently confirmed with HPLC coupled with a high resolution mass spectrometric detector (ESI-QToF)
Summary
The production of natural dyes for textiles was an important economic factor in the early Middle Ages, and a number of written sources mention the production of madder for sale [1]. Indigotin, and alizarin were determined in textiles from Søgårds Mose II and Skærsø [6] These components of natural colorants were frequently reported in the studies performed by Walton P. VVaarriioouuss tteexxttiilleess ffrroomm tthhiiss ggrraavvee wweerree iinn ggoooodd pprreesseerrvvaattiioonn ccoonnddiittioionnssaannddininccluluddeeddaann oouuttssttaannddiinnggeemmbbrrooiiddeerryyiinn ssiillkk aanndd ggoolldd ((sseeee FFiigguurree 11))..TThheessaammeetetecchhnniqiquueehhaassbbeeeennuusesded iinn eemmbbrrooiiddeerriieess ffoouunndd iinn ootthheerr SSccaannddiinnaavviiaann ggrraavveessffrroommtthhisisppeerrioiodd, ,bbuuttththeeppaattteternrnss ffoouunndd iinn tthheessee ggrraavveess aarree vveerryy ddiiffffeerreenntt [[1133]]. The identification of the coloring materials was achieved through the application of three increasingly harsh extraction procedures, based on dimethyl sulfoxide, EDTA with DMF extraction of the dyestuff from the yarns, followed by a hydrolysis in acidic condition of the residue; the analysis of the extract was performed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection and subsequently confirmed with HPLC coupled with a high resolution mass spectrometric detector (ESI-QToF).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
