[MR] bleaching black wool fabric

[Vels inn Viggladi]

> We believe black was rare in the 'early period' but not unknown -> certainly as long as there were black sheep, we'd have black wool. 
<snipped>
> > > Hrothny
 
The problem with "black sheep wool" is that it is dark red-brown. 
 
The expected method for deriving "norse" black would have been by overdying wool from a "black" sheep, with deep reds or browns naturally, with dark greens or blues in an iron pot. Experimental archeaology found "deeper" blacks when oak bark was added to the dye-vat.
It does not look as "black" to the modern mall-shopping eye, but it is black. We can bear this out especially with blue as an overdye: the Old West Norse word "blau" means both black and dark blue.
 
 
 
Vels
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