Coats of Many Colours: Dyeing and Dyeworks in Classical and Hellenistic Greece Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Leicester by Mark D. Monaghan, BA (Leicester) School of Archaeology and Ancient History University of Leicester August 2001 UMI Number: U144548 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U144548 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Abstract Mark Monaghan Coats of Many Colours: Dyeing and Dyeworks in Classical and Hellenistic Greece In the past, craft production in Classical and Hellenistic Greece has been studied mainly from a technological or social perspective. On the other hand, the study of ancient economies has largely neglected the role of craft production in favour of issues such as the nature of ancient economies, mechanisms for the exchange of goods, and the roles of agricultural production and slavery in economic activity. In this study I hope to have redressed this by looking at dyeing activity from an economic and social perspective. I have used a range of archaeological and historical evidence to build up a picture of the way dyeing (and by extension craft production) fitted into the subsistence strategies of the Classical and Hellenistic Greek household. The range of ingredients used, including dyes, fibres and chemical substances, and the nature of the processes carried out by ancient Greek dyers, are discussed. A methodology for the identification of dyeing activity in the archaeological record is proposed. Following a discussion of previous approaches to the study of ancient economic activity, a framework for the study of craft production in its economic and social context is also proposed. The evidence for dyeing activity in Classical and Hellenistic Greece is then analysed with reference to this framework, in order to assess the organisation and level of specialisation of dyeing and the way it fitted in with other subsistence activities on a seasonal basis. Acknowledgements This study could not have been completed without the help and support of many people. The University of Leicester and the British School at Athens provided generous financial assistance. I would not have got very far without my supervisor, Professor Lin Foxhall, who has provided valuable help, support and criticism for the last five years. I would also like to thank everybody at Leicester for their help, particularly Graham Shipley, Deirdre O’Sullivan (for giving me somewhere to live at a very reasonable rate), Mark Gillings (for putting up with me wearing a groove in the sofa for two years), Alan Me Whirr (for employing me) and all my friends in the postgrad room between 1997 and 2001. Pam and Janet have me loads of help despite my pestering them. I would also like to thank my friends outside the university, both in Leicester and Houghton, for all they have done. I would also like to thank (although they probably won’t know anything about it) all the people who made all the music that kept me going over the last years, particularly Brian Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Serge Gainsbourg, loads of 1950s and 1960s Brazilians, John Coltrane, the Byrds, Ella Fitzgerald, DJ Shadow and Teenage Fanclub. In Athens in 1999-2000, the Director, Assistant Directors, People In The Lab, People In The Offices, and the Library Ladies at the British School all helped me tremendously. I am also extremely grateful to all the Housekeeping Staff for cooking and cleaning up after me during that time. I would also like to thank all the lovely people I met in Athens for making my stay there so interesting and worthwhile, particularly all those who played tavli and darts and ate lunch at Neon with me. My family have given me wonderful support, and I would especially like to thank my parents for everything they have done for me over the last few years, particularly for putting up with me and supporting me in the last year. The Michael family have also been very kind and helpful and supportive during the last year. Last but definitely not least, I could not have finished this without Angela, who has been extremely patient and understanding and helpful and great. ii Contents Contents Abstract i Acknowledgements ii List of Illustrations v Chapter 1 - ‘You Set The Scene’: Introduction 1 1.1 Sources of evidence for studying dyeing 1 1.2 Textiles in Classical and Hellenistic Greece 6 1.3 Conclusion 9 Chapter 2 - Dyeing Materials i: Dyes 10 2.1 Animal dyes 11 2.2 Plant dyes 15 2.3 Potential sources of dye 19 2.4 Conclusion 24 Chapter 3 - Dyeing Materials ii: Other Materials 25 3.1 Fibres 25 3.2 Minerals and chemicals 37 Chapter 4 - ‘Vat’s Magic’: Dyeing Processes 41 4.1 Dyeing processes 41 4.2 Other similar processes 47 4.3 Conclusion 50 Chapter 5 - ‘Can You Dig It?’: The Archaeology Of Dyeing 51 5.1 Identifying dyeing in the archaeological record 51 5.2 Basic Ingredients 54 5.3 Immersion of fibres 59 5.4 Squeezing out excess liquid from dyed fibres 68 5.5 Drying 70 5.6 The use of this information in the identification of dyeing sites 72 Contents Chapter 6 - Studying Craft Production In Its Economic and Social Context 75 6.1 Studying ancient economies 75 6.2 Modelling craft production: methodologies from ethnoarchaeology and pottery studies 89 6.3 Classical and Hellenistic Greek craft production in its economic and social context 96 6.4 Craft production and the household 109 6.5 Towards a framework for the study of ancient craft production 112 Chapter 7 - Dyeing In Its Economic And Social Context 114 7.1 Studying the organisation of dyeing activity 114 7.2 Identifying specialisation 132 7.3 The seasonal nature of dyeing 143 Chapter 8 - Conclusion 152 Appendix - Site Catalogue 157 Bibliography 192 iv List Of Illustrations Table 1: Dyeing processes 43 Table 2: The presence of dyeing evidence at sites discussed in this study 74 Table 3: Model for studying the organisation of craft production 99 Table 4: The ancient Greek agricultural calendar 105 Table 5: The ancient Greek dyeing calendar 145 Fig 1: Diagram ofMurex brandaris PI 1 Fig 2: Diagram ofMurex trunculus PI 1 Fig 3: Diagram ofThais haemastoma PI 1 Fig 4: Bowl containing shells including Murex brandaris PI 2 Fig 5: ‘Peculiar vessel’ possibly used for dyeing from Rachi, Isthmia PI 2 Fig 6: Drawing of Quercus coccifera PI 3 Fig 7: Crocus cartwrightianus PI 3 Fig 8: Drawing ofRoccella tinctoria PI 4 Fig 9: Drawing ofQuercus aegilops PI 4 Fig 10: Drawing ofRhus coriaria PI 4 Fig 11: First year woad plants ready for dyeing PI 4 Fig 12: Madder plant PI 5 Fig 13: Madder root PI 5 Fig 14: Drawing ofAnchusa tinctoria PI 5 Fig 15: Alkanet root PI 5 Fig 16: Drawing of Punica granatum PI 6 Fig 17: Flowers of Punica granatum PI 6 Fig 18: Safflower flower heads ready for dyeing PI 6 Fig 19: Weld in flower PI 7 Fig 20: Onion skins PI 7 Fig 21: Spartium junceum PI 7 Fig 22: Drawing of young fustic PI 7 Fig 23: Young fustic PI 7 Fig 24: Scenes of wool production from an Attic black figure lekythos PI 8 Fig 25: Girl spinning with a drop spindle from a vase found at Orvieto, Italy PI 8 Fig 26: Penelope in front of her loom from a red figure vase PI 8 Fig 27: Diagram of a warp-weighted loom PI 9 Fig 28: Loomweights from the Citadel House Area, Mycenae PI 10 Fig 29: Loomweights from the Rachi settlement, Isthmia PI 10 Fig 30: Examples of range of shades produced from madder and weld PI 11 Fig 31: Map of Greece showing the location of dye works sites PI 12 Fig 32: Plan of the ‘Industrial District’ of Athens PI 13 Fig 33: Plan of house F, Athens ‘Industrial District’ PI 14 Fig 34: House F from the south, Athens ‘Industrial District’ PI 14 Fig 35: Workshop to the north of house F, Athens ‘Industrial District’ PI 14 Fig 36: Central Corinth, c. 400 BC PI 15 Fig 37: Peribolos of Apollo dye works, Corinth, from east PI 16 Fig 38: Peribolos of Apollo dyeworks, Corinth, from north-east PI 16 Fig 39: Peribolos of Apollo dyeworks, Corinth: ‘basin’ PI 17 Fig 40: Map of Delos, showing dyeing sites PI 18 Fig 41: ‘North Establishment’, east coast, Delos PI 19 Fig 42: ‘South Establishment’, Delos PI 19 Fig 43: House ION, Theatre Quarter, Delos PI 20 List Of Illustrations Fig 44 House HIN, Theatre Quarter, Delos: channel PI 21 Fig 45 House HIN, Theatre Quarter, Delos: ‘oven7‘press’ PI 21 Fig 46 House HIN, Theatre Quarter, Delos: vats on the north side of room d PI 22 Fig 47 House IHN, Theatre Quarter, Delos: vats on the south side of room d PI 22 Fig 48 House DIN, Theatre Quarter, Delos: cisterns in court f PI 23 Fig 49 House IHN, Theatre Quarter, Delos: rooms i and j PI 23 Fig 50 House IHU, Theatre Quarter, Delos PI 24 Fig 51 House IHU, Theatre Quarter, Delos: vats in room c PI 25 Fig 52 House mU, Theatre Quarter, Delos: cistern in room c PI 25 Fig 53 Ancient Halieis PI 26 Fig 54 The ‘Industrial Terrace’, Halieis PI 27 Fig 55 House A and House D, Lower Town, Halieis PI 28 Fig 56 Installation on the ‘Industrial Terrace’, Halieis PI 29 Fig 57 Installation in Room 6-29, House B, Lower Town, Halieis PI 29 Fig 58 Map showing the location