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Persian Rugs: The principal sources of natural colors

Los Angeles Home of Rugs on Feb 9th 2021

Safflower: Scientific name of this plant is "Carthamus Tinctorius". The plant grows up to the height of one meter. Its leaves are thorny and shiny. The flowers of this plant are initially Saffron color, which later turns red. The Persian dyers use the petals to dye the silk fiber to a golden red.

Madder: The botanical name of this plant is "Rubia Tinctorurn". It produces natural red colors. The root of this plant grows to a depth of two meters or so in sandy soil, from which one gets a better color essence. To produce the red color, the root is taken out in late autumn and dried in the sun or special furnaces.

Cochineal: The scientific name "Dactylopius Coccus ". The existence and use of this insect have been known for a long time for preparing natural red colors. The red substance which is a compound of "carminic acid" oozes out of the body of this insect.

Saffron: Botanical name "Crocus Sativus" Is a bulbous plant. Highly valued for its taste and flavor it is used to improve the quality of food. On account of its worldwide demand, the price had a phenomenal increase: therefore, it is no longer used as a dye.

Logwood: Botanical name " Haematoxylon Carnpechianurn". It is a thorny tree. Its bark is boiled and the sap obtained from it is transformed into powder or crystallized form. It is then used for dyeing natural black and grey colors.

Indigo: The botanical name is "Indigofea Tinctoria". Originally the plant was found in India from where it had been taken to different parts of the world. Mankind has known the Indigo bush for a long time. It was cultivated to produce blue and green colors.

Dyer’s Weed: Botanical name "Reseda Luteola". It is a biennial plant. It produces a yellow color. It grows wild and in abundance in Persia. Due to continuous exposure to light, the dye from this plant gives fast yellow color for many years.

Turmeric: Botanical name "Curcuma Longa". From the rootstalk, ordinary turmeric is obtained. It is mostly used in cooking and grows in plenty in Persia. Turmeric, when used with different mordants in the dying process produces several varieties of brown, dark, grey, greenish-yellow, and orange.

Pomegranate: Botanical name "Punica Granatum" was first grown in Persia and is today found in various parts of the world. The skin of its fruit is used for dyeing and grey and dark colors are obtained. It is used more than other plants containing tannin.

Oak-Tree: The scientific name "Quercus Tinctoria", From the trunk, branches, bark of this tree are extracted large quantities of tannin substance which are used for medicinal, tannery, and dyeing purposes. The tannin substances contained in the bark of the Oak-tree with different mordants produce yellow-orange and brown colors.

Walnut: Botanical name "Tunglans Regia". Walnut trees are found in abundance in areas of Persia having a moderate climate. With the use of different mordants, the tannin in the shell produces brown and dark colors.

Mirabalan: Botanical name "Prunus Cerasifera Myrabolana" resembles a plum and is dried before it matures. Apart from dyeing, it is also used for medicinal purposes. Two varieties of this plant are in existence. "Yellow Myrabolan", from which yellow colors are obtained, and black Myrabolan, from which black and green colors are obtained by use of different mordants.