10-31-2011, 11:00 PM
Hi
That looks pretty good.
The dye is Armenian Cochineal and although it was considered exotic, it was still cheaper than obtaining shellfish purple. It has a purple red hue, rather than the South American cochineal which is more crimson. Armenian cochineal is said to have been available during the 1st century from the east as a substitute for Kermes even though the shade is slightly different.
Just wondering Claire why you did not use madder? Or is this supposed to be an upper class tunic which you refer too in another thread on cavalry tunics?
If a cavalry tunic you could have chosen one with those turned back cuffs, although others have argued they are possibly awards or even gloves!
As you probably know there is an argument that the 2:1 twill textiles found on Germanic sites only appear during the Roman Iron Age and that they came originally from Roman Gaul, either as loot or via returning Roman Auxiliaries. So something like the Thorsberg tunic may have belonged to a Roman Auxiliary and historians now believe it too was red originally based on recent dye research.
That is of course of a later date and apart from the cavalry tunics I have not seen any infantry tunics of first century date with sleeves. In fact those on the German tombstones look a very different style of tunic altogether, perhaps even influenced by eastern fashion not Gallic.
Graham.
That looks pretty good.
The dye is Armenian Cochineal and although it was considered exotic, it was still cheaper than obtaining shellfish purple. It has a purple red hue, rather than the South American cochineal which is more crimson. Armenian cochineal is said to have been available during the 1st century from the east as a substitute for Kermes even though the shade is slightly different.
Just wondering Claire why you did not use madder? Or is this supposed to be an upper class tunic which you refer too in another thread on cavalry tunics?
If a cavalry tunic you could have chosen one with those turned back cuffs, although others have argued they are possibly awards or even gloves!
As you probably know there is an argument that the 2:1 twill textiles found on Germanic sites only appear during the Roman Iron Age and that they came originally from Roman Gaul, either as loot or via returning Roman Auxiliaries. So something like the Thorsberg tunic may have belonged to a Roman Auxiliary and historians now believe it too was red originally based on recent dye research.
That is of course of a later date and apart from the cavalry tunics I have not seen any infantry tunics of first century date with sleeves. In fact those on the German tombstones look a very different style of tunic altogether, perhaps even influenced by eastern fashion not Gallic.
Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
