On 19 May 2021, a research associate of the museum and educational department of Bolgar Museum-Reserve Krivosheyeva S. V. held an event on “Medieval paints”.
On painting lessons, we often paint in watercolor and gouache, and one day we have a question: what was used for drawing when people did not have such wonderful bright paints? It is interesting to make paints with your hands and create a picture.
At the event, kids knew that at first people made paints of what was around them – natural pigments and other colors of natural origin. The most famous pigment – Egyptian blue – was invented 3000 BC. It was the first synthetic pigment made by man – the blue glass made of sand and copper and then ground to powder. Plant paints were also invented in Egypt.
Greeks invented one of the most important and expensive paints – Tyrian purple – bright red paint made from the glandular mucus of certain mollusks. You could get just a couple of grams of coloring from one shell. Tyrian purple was more valuable than gold that is why it was the color of kings and emperors.
At the end of the event, the participants made medieval paints with their hands and painted their pictures.

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