#6E6A5EArchaeology (#6E6A5E) is a grey neutral with an OKLCH hue of 92°, lightness 0.52 and chroma 0.019. In practice it behaves as a mid-weight working color for secondary surfaces and editorial blocks.
| HEX | #6E6A5E |
|---|---|
| RGB | rgb(110, 106, 94) |
| HSL | hsl(45, 8%, 40%) |
| HSV | hsv(45, 15%, 43%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(0%, 4%, 15%, 57%) |
| CIE Lab | lab(44.8 -0.7 7.3) |
| OKLCH | oklch(0.524 0.019 92) |
Under warm 2700K interior light Archaeology shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast; in north-facing or shaded light it is virtually unchanged. Overall drift across common illuminants is small (max ΔE ≈ 1.2), so it is a lighting-stable choice.
#726757 — ΔE 1.2, shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast#726a5c — ΔE 0.7, is virtually unchanged#6e6a5e — ΔE 0.0, is virtually unchanged#6e6b5f — ΔE 0.3, is virtually unchangedTest Archaeology in the color lighting simulator — sweep it through daylight, warm 2700K light, 4000K LED, and shade alongside the rest of your palette.
Against white it measures 5.4:1 and against black 3.89:1, so white text is the stronger pairing. That pairing passes WCAG AA for body text.
One color explored: close hues with real lightness and chroma structure, so the palette is the anchor through value rather than a set of colors.
#c2bfb5 · #9c988d · #6e6a5e · #545045 · #333026 · #15120b
The anchor's neighbours on the wheel — everything shares an undertone, so the chord carries color without anything having to be muted to get along.
#86946c · #7f7f4f · #6e6a5e · #705429 · #624023 · #522e1f
The mid-gap pairing — sage and mustard, terracotta and olive. A foil rotated 40–65° toward warm or cool: too far to be kin, too near to argue, carried by temperature and a deliberate value offset.
#8ab388 · #7a8e79 · #6e6a5e · #5b4d22 · #3f3308 · #0f200f
One deliberately opposed voice — a single restrained counterpoint across the wheel, or temperature against temperature where the anchor is too muted to carry a loud opposite.
#d5cfbc · #b5ac8f · #8f8a7b · #6e6a5e · #3d4874 · #362e18
The anchor as the only color in the room. True neutrals or complement-warmed near-neutrals let it stay dominant.
#eff2f9 · #88847a · #6e6a5e · #4f5156 · #242117 · #010102
This color as a ground rather than a subject — its own restraint held across a narrow value band, carrying one saturated voice from the opposite temperature.
#f3f2ec · #cbc9c3 · #6e6a5e · #28251d · #070501 · #e4c14d
The opposite hue on the perceptual wheel, tempered to field strength — warm/cool tension without vibration.
#edf1ff · #7783a9 · #6e6a5e · #424e7a · #161e3f · #080400
The complement's two neighbours instead of the complement itself — strong contrast with a lower clash risk.
#edf1ff · #6489a6 · #6e6a5e · #584773 · #00233b · #020006
Three hues spaced evenly around the wheel; the anchor leads and the other two are held at supporting strength.
#e2f6fb · #588e99 · #6e6a5e · #694163 · #32142e · #000305
Two complementary pairs offset by 90° — the richest chord, kept usable by a strict lightness hierarchy.
#e2f7f3 · #5a9187 · #6e6a5e · #424e7a · #38111f · #000007
#838075 · #99968C · #B0ADA5 · #C7C4BD · #DEDCD7
#5B574D · #49463C · #37352C · #27241D · #17150F
Its moderate chroma lets it work in mid-size areas — upholstery, secondary UI surfaces, editorial blocks — without overwhelming neighbors. In palettes it pairs most predictably with its tonal ramp and analogous neighbors; reserve the complementary hue for small, deliberate contrast.