Fermentation of wool prior to dyeing

[Patrick Weiler]

This study is a few years old, but seems to explain why some older dyes are brighter and hardier than others - though the study only looked at an older Anatolian red-dyed sample. "So far, the fermentation technique is only known to be used in a confined area in Anatolia within modern age and it is not clear since when it has been applied. The investigation of selected benchmark specimens with μ-XRF could be employed to address these open issues and enlighten the history of traditional preindustrial dyeing techniques."

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/scanning/2017/6346212/?fbclid=IwAR0Jt-Q6CoLstYforqj5u1u-ACdt1h0VRAHSvwrMVOeN 7xa6eIvh9p11yiA

[Pierre Galafassi]

Hi Patrick,

Salon 134 by Manfred Bieber (co-author of the paper you just mentioned)
gives interesting details about "fermentation dyeing" too.
http://www.turkotek.com/salon_00134/salon.html
A friend of mine who worked in Afghanistan around 1980-2000, used a similar technique which he called "Summer dyeing".
I would not be surprised to learn that it was known and used by tribal Turkmen dyers already during the 18th and 19th century.
Regards
Pierre

[Rich Larkin]

Just seeing this. Excellent!! Good find, Patrick! :cheers:

[Patrick Weiler]

Pierre,
The earlier salon said that millet flour was used and the Hindawi study showed that sourdough and wheat bran were used. Interesting that a similar result was derived from different grains. The only conclusion is that they were trying to make Whiskey and some wool accidentally fell in there.
:cheers:
Patrick Weiler

[Pierre Galafassi]

Patrick,

Yours is the only reasonable explanation. :cheers:
However, whether the wool fell accidentally in the vat, or whether the moonshiners threw it in to simulate a legal dyeing operation when the yassaouls (coppers) raided the yurt, is still a matter of conjecture.

It would not be the first time: Credible and nearly sober insider informants (*) claim that the violet obtained with alkana tinctoria root was the consequence of such a desperate move when Turkmen feds interrupted the production and bottling of a local gin ( 50% booze).

(*) Me l'ha detto un uccellino.

[Chuck Wagner]

Hi gents,

I recall reading somewhere that in Tibet they add a barley beer to accelerate the process.

Regards
Chuck

[Pierre Galafassi]

Fermentation dyeing was already used by the dyers and weavers of the Pazyryk carpet in the 4-5th century BCE

Manfred Bieber, together with a team of scientists of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany), using high resolution X-ray fluorescence microscopy, have demonstrated that the dyers of the wool used for the Pazyryk rug utilized the fermentation dyeing method to achieve the beautiful saturated colors of this 25 centuries-old marvel.

Bravissimo Manfred! Well done!!
Bravissimo to the dyers of the Pazyryk rug too.
:applause:
Source: Science Daily, March 4 2021
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210304133511.htm

[Filiberto Boncompagni2]

There is a video too, concerning the Pazyryk rug:

https://www.trtworld.com/video/showcase/worlds-oldest-carpet-pazyryk-carpet/60620fc93b0f87001e8d b791