How is blue made?

And where did colours come from before industrial dyes?

These were the starting questions for a small group of pupils at EB1 de Sequeira (Braga Oeste School Cluster), who were introduced to the world of historical dyeing by researchers Joana Sequeira and Mónica Faria (Lab2PT/IN2PAST). In the workshop “From Sheep to Rainbow”, developed within the scientific project REVIVE – The Colours of the Royal Cloth Factory of Covilhã (2022.01243.PTDC), the classroom was transformed into a small experimental laboratory. There were pungent smells, looks of surprise, and a touch of magic: T-shirts dipped in indigo soon revealed a deep, vibrant blue. Beyond blue, the session also explored other colours, from the red of cochineal to the yellow of weld, always using natural ingredients and historically grounded recipes.

More than a practical activity, the workshop offered a way of showing how colours were produced in the past, bringing younger audiences closer to the technical, material, and cultural knowledge that forms part of our history.A different kind of lesson, where science, history, and colour came together and where learning also meant making.

 

 

Organization: Joana Sequeira e Mónica Faria
Prommoting institutions: Project REVIVE 2022.01243.PTDC