geolwe, adv: with a yellow tinge. (“YAY-oll-way”)
Category Archives: Colours
gærs-grēne
gærs-grēne, adj: grass-green. (“garz-gray-neh”)
Horae ad usum romanum, in the Hours of Margaret of Orleans. France, 15th century. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des manuscrits, Latin 1156 B, fol. 4r. [gallica.bnf.fr]
snāw-hwīt
snāw-hwīt, adj: snow-white. (“snaaw-hweet”)
wād
wād, n.n: woad (a plant much used for dyeing). (“wah-d”)
Today is Wordhord Wednesday! Visit my Patreon page for the latest post on hroþ-girela, not just any old crown.
Woad, a pigment made from the leaves of the plant Isatis tinctoria, or glastum (a.k.a. Asp of Jerusalem). [woad.org.uk]
weolcen-rēad
weolcen-rēad, adj: scarlet, purple. (“way-ol-chen-ray-odd”)
The Luttrell Psalter. Northern England (Lincolnshire), 1325-1340. British Library, Add MS 42130, f. 145r. [bl.uk]
hasu-pāda
hasu-pāda, m.n: one having a grey garment; a term applied to the eagle. (“ha-soo-pah-dah”)
haswig-feðera
haswig-feðera, adj: having grey feathers, grey-feathered. (“has-wee-feh-theh-rah”)
An ibis. Bestiary. England, 1236-c. 1250. British Library, Harley MS 3244, fol. 52v.
scilfor
scilfor, adj: yellow, of the colour of gold. (“shil-vor”)
Confusingly, not silver.
Glossed Exodus. England, 1st quarter of the 13th century. British Library, MS Burney 13, fol. 1. Source: British Library.
blēo-rēad
blēo-rēad, adj: blue-red, purple, myrtle-coloured. (“bleh-oh-reh-ad”)
Detail of St Nicholas in the Melisende Psalter. Jerusalem, 1131-1143. British Library, Egerton MS 1139, fol. 209r. Source: British Library.
blæc
blæc, adj: black, dark, swarthy. (“black”)
Book of Hours, Bruges (Belgium), c. 1480. Morgan Library, MS M.493, folios 18v and 19r. The Black Hours, one of a very few manuscripts on vellum that is dyed black. The illustration shows Whitsun, or Pentecost, the occasion of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Christ, as described in Acts 2:1–31. Source: Morgan Library.
