The Colourant Mapping Project

Archaeological research has unearthed a vibrantly colourful ancient world: from Egyptian sarcophagi to Pompeian houses and from tinted glass to scarlet red textiles, recent advances in archaeological science have led to the identification of a plethora of materials used to colour things. Minerals, metals, plants, earths, and even sea molluscs are found among the colourants of the ancient palette.

The Colourant Mapping Project aims to systematically record the occurrences of ancient pigments, dyes, and other painting materials. This interactive mapping web application aims to create an open-access database of ancient colourants that can be used by researchers and the wider public to illustrate patterns of exchange and highlight regional variations. The project relies on the contributions of its users, who can submit new entries through the designated form. Each entry will be reviewed by our team to avoid duplicates and ensure the academic integrity of the database. Our map will be updated and new entries will be included shortly after your submissions.

We are looking forward to our next steps as our map becomes more colourful every single day!