The oldest known fabric dyed indigo, dated to 6,000 years ago, was discovered in Huaca Prieta, Peru. [8] Many Asian countries, such as India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asian nations have used indigo as a dye (particularly for silk) for centuries. The dye was also known to ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Britain, Mesoamerica, Peru, Iran, and West Africa. Indigo was also cultivated in India, which was also the earliest major center for its production and processing. [9] The Indigofera tinctoria species was domesticated in India. [9] Indigo, used as a dye, made its way to the Greeks and the Romans, where it was valued as a luxury product. [9] Cake of indigo, about 2 cm

Throughout West Africa, Indigo was the foundation of centuries-old textile traditions. From the Tuareg nomads of the Sahara to Cameroon, clothes dyed with indigo signified wealth. Women dyed the cloth in most areas, with the Yoruba of Nigeria and the Mandinka of Mali particularly well known for their expertise. Among the Hausa male dyers, working at communal dye pits was the basis of the wealth of the ancient city of Kano, and they can still be seen plying their trade today at the same pits. [15] The Tuareg are sometimes called the "Blue People" because the indigo pigment in the cloth of their traditional robes and turbans stained their skin dark blue. [16]Chango/Shango/Sango/Xango is loved and honored throughout the world. The chants, songs, dances and stories to honor him are plentiful. Here is a selection of some of the best. Praise to the King ! India was a primary supplier of indigo to Europe as early as the Greco-Roman era. The association of India with indigo is reflected in the Greek word for the dye, indikón ( Ἰνδικόν, Indian). [10] The Romans latinized the term to indicum, which passed into Italian dialect and eventually into English as the word indigo.

Maya blue ( Spanish: azul maya) is a unique bright azure blue pigment manufactured by cultures of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, such as the Mayans and Aztecs. Reyes-Valerio, De Bonampak al Templo Mayor, La historia del Azul Maya en Mesoamerica, Siglo XXI Editores, 1993. Splitstoser JC, Dillehay TD, Wouters J, Claro A (2016-09-14). "Early pre-Hispanic use of indigo blue in Peru". Science Advances. 2 (9): e1501623. Bibcode: 2016SciA....2E1623S. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1501623. PMC 5023320. PMID 27652337. Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen Industrial Crop: Dye Management: Coppice Minor Global CropChemists go green to make better blue jeans". Nature. 553 (7687): 128. 2018. Bibcode: 2018Natur.553..128.. doi: 10.1038/d41586-018-00103-8. FILED UNDER: ANCESTORS, HOODOO, SPELLS TAGGED WITH: ALLIGATOR PEPPER, GRAINS OF PARADISE, GUINEA PEPPER, HOODOO, LUCUMI

Ramig, Keith; Lavinda, Olga; Szalda, David J.; Mironova, Irina; Karimi, Sasan; Pozzi, Federica; Shah, Nilam; Samson, Jacopo; Ajiki, Hiroko; Massa, Lou; Mantzouris, Dimitrios; Karapanagiotis, Ioannis; Cooksey, Christopher (June 2015). "The nature of thermochromic effects in dyeings with indigo, 6-bromoindigo, and 6,6′-dibromoindigo, components of Tyrian purple". Dyes and Pigments. 117: 37–48. doi: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2015.01.025. The benzene rings in indigo can be modified to give a variety of related dyestuffs. Thioindigo, where the two NH groups are replaced by S atoms, is deep red. Tyrian purple is a dull purple dye that is secreted by a common Mediterranean snail. It was highly prized in antiquity. In 1909, its structure was shown to be 6,6'-dibromoindigo (red). 6-bromoindigo (purple) is a component as well. [31] It has never been produced on a commercial basis. The related Ciba blue (5,7,5′,7′-tetrabromoindigo) is, however, of commercial value. Añil, also known as Indigo Blue is known in the Lukumi tradition to bring purification and cleansing to the aura and soul. It is used in cleansing rituals and baths and it is highly recommended by the elders of the tradition. I'd like to share with you a few ways to use Añil in cleansing rituals that are highly recommended.Natural sources of indigo also include mollusks; the Murex genus of sea snails produces a mixture of indigo and 6,6′-dibromoindigo (red), which together produce a range of purple hues known as Tyrian purple. Light exposure during part of the dyeing process can convert the dibromoindigo into indigo, resulting in blue hues known as royal blue, hyacinth purple, or tekhelet. David S. Shields. Oracles of Empire: Poetry, Politics, and Commerce in British America, 1690-1750. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010), pp. 69, 249 Indigo dye is a dark blue crystalline powder that sublimes at 390–392°C (734–738°F). It is insoluble in water, alcohol, or ether, but soluble in DMSO, chloroform, nitrobenzene, and concentrated sulfuric acid. The chemical formula of indigo is C 16 H 10 N 2 O 2. The primary use for indigo is as a dye for cotton yarn, mainly used in the production of denim cloth suitable for blue jeans; on average, a pair of blue jeans requires 3 grams (0.11oz) to 12 grams (0.42oz) of dye. Smaller quantities are used in the dyeing of wool and silk. The plant finds some use in domestic medicine in Guatemala. Indigo is often applied to the stings of bees and other insects to reduce pain and inflammation, although its efficacy is somewhat doubtful[331 ]. A decoction of the roots is taken against stomach-ache[310 ]. A tincture of the roots and seeds in rum is used as a vermifuge[310 ]. The leaves are resolutive and sudorific[348 ]. An infusion of bruised leaves is used as a treatment for fever[310 ]. Combined with the leaves of Indigofera tinctoria and the bark of Phellodendron chinense, it is used as a medicine against scrofula[310 ]. The fresh leaves are used in a warm bath to act as a calmative[348 ]. The plant juice is used as a treatment for diarrhoea[310 ].