Colored materials have been a means of shaping the human environment since prehistoric times. In particular, textile dyeing has undergone various changes over time, influenced by trade, craftsmanship, and technology. The effort involved in dyeing and the rarity of pure vibrant colors ensure that colors play a central role during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. They serve to highlight social hierarchies in the feudal society and to exclude minorities. Based on edited German-language dyeing instructions from this period, the verifiable state of knowledge is analyzed in relation to modern textile chemistry. Through replicated dyeing processes, the achievable color shades can be assessed, and lightfastness and washfastness tests provide insights for the restoration and preservation of historical textiles.