2. A few historical landmarks

The history of natural colorants goes back to prehistoric times, with the use of charcoal and mineral oxides. The oldest synthetic pigments seem to have originated in Upper Egypt, with the discovery of silver white, Egyptian blue and malachite green, for example.

The first traces of plant dyes (other than charcoal) appear to be traces of indigo, dated between 2500 and 2000 BC, in India. In Europe, woad indigo has also been found in Bronze Age mines (1800-1000 BC). Over the centuries, the use and mastery of indigo grew. Traces of them can be found on Greek frescoes. They made a major contribution to manuscript illumination in the Middle Ages, and this period marked the beginning of the dye industry.

Until the end of the 19th century, plant colors were one of the most important sources of dyes, along with purple, kermes, cochineal, charcoal...