Plant
Rock lichen
Picture to come.
Crusty or leafy lichens that grow on rocks, mostly in the north and west of Britain. Certain species were steeped for weeks in stale urine to produce a purple dye that needed no mordant. Lichen purple is known from Anglo-Saxon and Viking-age England, used for embroidery threads, narrow woven bands and accessories; a lichen-dyed wool textile was found at Coppergate in York. Use in the twelfth century is likely but less directly attested.
Caveats (confidence: medium)
Evidence is mainly pre-Conquest; the particular species used cannot always be identified.
Sources: jennydean.co.uk · collections.yorkarchaeologicaltrust.co.uk
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