The Saffron Kilt

[Daibhidh O'Baoighill]

[QUOTE=Morris of Heathfield;542481]The color of the modern saffron kilt is probably much darker than the historical Irish léine. There's an article here in which the author dyed a linen garment with real saffron. It turned out a pale yellow color. Whether the Irish used actual saffron to dye the léine is debatable, as there are other dyes that can produce much the same color as saffron, at a considerably lower expense.

Great links! It make sense that they would have used available/affordable dyes and not expensive saffron.

Cheers!
David

[KeithM]

Would you hazard a guess as to the color of the kilt in the following description?

He himself, in variegated array, advances with lofty mein. Thó garter ribbons hanging at his leg were dyed with Corycian saffron, and with the tint of the Syrian shell, as was his plaid. His sister had embroidered his tunic with the red gold, and a double line of purple went round his terrible shoulders.


I am wondering if the original clan MacMartin wore saffron (as a base) and used a type of red dye, or purple to offset the base color.