Kells Color Palette

Just a palette I put together based on the pigments in the Book of Kells. It took some digging to find out what materials were used. It was assumed for decades (centuries?) that the bright blues were ultramarine (lapis lazuli), but recent imaging/sampling says nope! Some monk was just that good with woad.

"Lichen" took some digging. I had no idea you can make pigments from lichen. Here's a blog by a lady who uses lichens and mushrooms to dye wool.

Despite the name, "brazilwood" isn't necessarily from Brazil. It's the other way around: Brazil was named because a species of brazilwood grew there. Another species, also used for dye, is native to Asia.

Turnsole can come out more pink or more blue than what I have here. Not sure why.

Many of these colors would have been blended as well. Orpiment and woad were used to make a different green, for instance. White was usually ground gypsum (alabaster), used on its own or to make pastels.