Investigating the Influence of the Kettle Material on Dyeing in the Industry of Pompeii

Abstract

Dyeing, especially in bright, intense colours, has been one of the methods used to embellish textiles and add to their value. A considerable dyeing industry can be shown to have existed in Pompeii. The city of Pompeii was destroyed in a volcanic eruption in AD 79, but its remains were preserved in situ (after Allison 1992). This includes six dyeing workshops (Moeller 1976). The six workshops, together contained between them, forty apparatus consisting of a kettle in a brick or rubble and mortar surround to house a fire for heating the kettle (A survey was undertaken in 1994; Robinson and Janaway, unpublished). The kettles were supported by a ring of material which their bottom edge rested on; thereby leaving most of the kettle bottom unsupported. The dyeing apparatus were extensively researched by Hopkins (2007, 2008) to gain a better understanding of the scale of industry.

Keywords

• experimental archaeology
• dyeing
• textile
• roman era
• italy