# Pot of woad **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 9, 1999, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146 "1999-09-09T07:09:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/1 "1999-09-09T07:09:00Z")
In Emma Peel’s first Avengers episode, she refers to a “pot of woad,” and from the context I gather it is proverbial for “going native.” In my researches so far, I’ve learned that woad is a plant which can be processed to make a blue dye, much like indigo, and said blue dye was used by antique Celts to paint their bodies - but I haven’t found the source of the phrase “pot of woad.” I’ve searched Bartlett’s, the Bible (KJV) and the works of Shakespeare with no luck. Does anyone know where it comes from? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/2 "1999-09-09T08:06:00Z")
It’s admirable that you did your own research before posting this question. But I’m curious why you looked for a reference to a Celtic custom in the Bible. But on the Internet you can find _anything_. As proof I offer The Woad Page at [http://www.net-link.net/~rowan/crafts/woad/woadpage.html](http://www.net-link.net/~rowan/crafts/woad/woadpage.html) . This tells you how to grow and make your own pot of woad. You can then use it unitl you’re, well, blue in the face. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/3 "1999-09-09T08:44:00Z")
Mike - I did my research backwards; I tried to find the quote, if there is one, before I found out the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/4 "1999-09-09T13:37:00Z")
“woad” = what Elmer Fudd dwives his caw on 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Suzeanne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Suzeanne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suzeanne)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/5 "1999-09-09T20:08:00Z")
Just one important thing to keep in mind if you decide to play with woad – stay downwind of the neighbors. It has a particularly pungent reek to it. ---
**Author:** ![StrTrkr777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@StrTrkr777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrTrkr777)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/6 "1999-09-09T20:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > blue dye was used by antique Celts to paint their bodies So what did the modern Celts use? Food coloring, body paint? Jeffery ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/7 "1999-09-09T21:22:00Z")
They would use the woad, which has some antiseptic and astringent properties, as a body paint for battle. Thus the Celts were woad warriors. Sometimes one member of the warband would use more than his share of the woad. He would have been reviled as a “woad hog.” Cowards and non-combatants would apply their body paint in a distinctive cruciform pattern, leading to the ancient observation of “the chicken crossing the woad.” Because so manny of the young men of a tribe would not survive their battles, the traditional lamentation began “Oh, woad is me…” This will all be chronicled in my upcoming politically neutral book _The Muddle of the Woad_. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/8 "1999-09-09T21:46:00Z")
I believe there is a biblical quote: “Woad to you, O Earth and Sea For the Devil sends the Beast with Wrath Because he knows the time is short…” –Iron Maiden 3:lp ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 1999, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/9 "1999-09-10T02:31:00Z")
“Let him who hath underrstanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number. The number is six hundred and sixty six…” * * * Brian O’Neill CMC International Records [rockuniverse.com/cmc/cmc.html](http://rockuniverse.com/cmc/cmc.html) ICQ 35294890 AIM Scrabble1 Yahoo Messenger Brian\_ONeill ---
**Author:** ![Astroglide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6de8d8/32.png) [@Astroglide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroglide)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-of-woad/3146/10 "1999-09-11T08:39:00Z")
I just want to say I got some pot of woad once, and there weren’t any buds at all. The pot of gainsville is far superior. I myself prefer the rum of morgan with the cola of coke (the pepper of dr. works well, too) and the juice of lime.