Dye Vat, 19th century. National Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia, Terrassa.
The dye vat was used to dye fabric and skeins. It consisted of a rectangular wooden vat with a perforated double lining; a coil, where cold water entered, and a steam spout that heated the dye bath. The discovery of alizarin, by Groebe and Lubermann in 1969, meant that chemical dyes were introduced, gradually replacing natural ones.
