Indigo: From Mummies to Blue Jeans

by Jenny Balfour-Paul

Produced from plants by a process akin to alchemy, indigo has a unique chemistry that renders it compatible with every type of natural fibre. In the past it was combined with other natural dyes to create a range of colours that are impossible to reproduce without synthetic substitutes (a recent phenomenon). In todays multi-coloured world, it is hard to imagine the incredible impact indigo must have had on the many civilizations that chanced upon it. The accumulation of more than 15 years research, this is the first book to cover in detail all aspects of this subject: historical, agricultural, and botanical chemical and technological; commercial and economic; and, indigos various uses in textiles and its many sociological, medicinal, folkloric and other connotations.

Genres: History, Fashion, Art, Nonfiction, Historical, Crafts

264 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Sophie (RedheadReading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was interested in reading this after doing a shibori indigo dying workshop, this really delved into the history, uses and art of indigo - answered a lot of my ponderings!

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully photographed history of indigo plant and dye.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing well researched book about my favourite dye indigo.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This may be a suitable point to mention the role of animal turds in the organic dye vat..."

"Sometimes the mysteries can never be fully unravelled, since the function of many sacred textiles is precisely to represent hat cannot be expressed in words."

"'...Like all Andean textiles, they eloquently and elegantly transcended their utilitarian role, mediating between the living and the dead.'"

"Tattoo designs, which, as elsewhere, often resembled those found on tribal weavings, had specific functions: some served as preventative medicine while others were talismanic, acting to deflect the evil eye."

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read it for the NCMA book club and so for me this was really a "re-read" - got more out of it the second time around, took notes and will continue in that vein I'm sure. It's a fantastic resource for the topic.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this kind of book that takes you through time and place to see how different cultures used the same material in different ways. Indigo has been used all around the world for centuries, making it perfect for that kind of history.

[Steven Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at how the color indigo has been used throughout the ages by various cultures. I was not aware of the use of indigo on mummies in ancient Egypt. Indigo: From Mummies to Blue Jeans would be a book that I would add to my home reference library.

[Brent Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. I love the way the author follows indigo through our history as humans. It really showcases the impact of this pigment.