An Ongoing Mystery: Copper Kettles And Chilkat Blue

Abstract

While there had been reports by European explorers and traders about the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America Native peoples for centuries, U.S. Navy Lieutenant George T. Emmons, stationed in a frigate in Alaskan waters, took extensive notes about the language and customs of the Tlingit peoples. His curiosity led him to ask about the source of textile dyes; his is the first popularized description of dyeing procedures, particularly for Chilkat blue. Inorganic and organic analysis of the blue dye in Smithsonian museum Chilkat dance blankets supports the conclusion that this documentation was a misinterpretation of the processing of indigo and vat dyeing. A detailed review of 19th century dyeing materials supports this conclusion, but historical, economic, cultural, and social factors suggest a broader range of possibilities, as do analyses and treatments of Chilkat blankets from other institutions. This article will report new findings that both support and contraindicate indigo as the source of Chilkat blue dye.