Ancient Color. Through May 26, 2019 at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Ancient Color. Through May 26, 2019 at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Roman world was a colorful place. Although we often associate the Romans with white marble statues, these statues, as well as Roman homes, clothing, and art, were vibrant with color. Merchants traded far and wide for the raw materials to produce a variety of pigments and dyes, and the many ways they were put to use by Ancient Romans in their homes, clothing, art and buildings reflects the significance of color in Roman culture. Artifacts of every variety can retain evidence of color, from the still-vibrant red and green threads woven into a cloth bag to the invisible traces of blue pigment on a marble head.



Image: Head of Bacchus. Marble, pigment. The image in the middle shows an application of color based on the locations of pigments found on the object’s surface during examination. The image on the right is a hypothetical reconstruction of the finished surface based on similar sculptures and wall paintings. Courtesy of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology.

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