DYES IN POST-BYZANTINE AND OTTOMAN TEXTILES: A COMPARATIVE HPLC STUDY

Abstract

The goal of the study is to compare the dyes used in ecclesiastical post-Byzantine (six-
teenth to early twentieth century) textiles of Mount Athos, Greece, with the correspond-
ing organic colourants used in Ottoman (sixteenth to eighteenth century) textiles which
are preserved in the Topkapi Palace Museum, Turkey. During the historical period of in-
terest, Mount Athos which has been the spiritual centre of Byzantine culture for centu-
ries, was within the borders of the Ottoman Empire (period of Ottoman rule).
Samples extracted from forty-six and fifty post-Byzantine and Ottoman textiles, respec-
tively, were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array
detection (HPLC–DAD). The analysis of a silk velvet (Topkapi Palace Museum) is pre-
sented in detail and serves as an example to describe the methodology that was applied
throughout the investigation.
More similarities than differences are observed in the results reported for the two tex-
tile collections of different cultural identity. The following materials were found in both
post-Byzantine and Ottoman textiles: cochineal, madder, lac, young fustic, weld, dyer’s
broom, buckthorn berries, indigo/woad and tannins. On the other hand, soluble red-
wood, old fustic and logwood were found only in post-Byzantine textiles while dyer’s
chamomile and Rumex species were detected only in few Ottoman objects.