History of Henna
Henna is made from the crushed leaves of the henna plant called LAWSONIA INERMIS, and is used for colouring hair and decorating the body. It is best cultivated in large fields and thrives in hot, dry climate, such as Sudan, Egypt, India and Middle Eastern countries.
Henna has many origins and traditions, having been used for up to 9000 years by people in over 60 countries for celebration, well-being, luck, devotion, sexuality and sacrifice. Henna has been part of the the social and folk traditions of Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and many other religions.
There is very persuasive evidence that henna was used by the Neolithic people in Catal Huyuk, in the 7th millenium BCE to ornament their hands in connection with their fertility goddess. The religion these people practiced was the predecessor to the religions of all the people in the ancient Middle East, and henna seems to have been used by all of these people as part of their adornment and belief system. The earliest civilizations that can be proved to have used henna include the Babylonians, Assyrians, Sumerians, Semites, Ugaritics and Canaanites.
The earliest written artifact that mentions henna being used specifically as an adornment for a bride or woman's special occasion is in the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, inscribed on a tablet from about 2100 BCE, from north west Syria. Anath was a goddess of fertility and battle. In the legend, she adorned her hands with henna before battle, and brides ornamented their hands with henna as a preparation for wedding. As henna is mentioned as a part of a legend, may be inferred that henna was in use by the Ugaritic people, as a bridal tradition, and as a women's celebratory cosmetic along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean for many centuries prior to 2000 BCE.
There are many statuettes from Crete and Mycenae from the period 1700 BCE to 900 BCE that show goddesses synchronous with Anath, with raised hands that appear to be ornamented with henna. Several of these goddesses also have facial patterns that are identical with scarification that was used to honor the goddess Anath, and identical to patterns are made in harquus (a cosmetic closely related to henna) have been used until the present time by Arabs, Bedouins and North African tribal groups.
There are numerous artifacts from Iraq, Palestine, Greece, Egypt, Crete and Rome from 1400 BCE to 1AD that show women with henna patterns on their hands. The early center of the use of henna as a woman's adornment seems to have been the eastern Mediterranean, where it grows wild. It is mentioned in the Bible as "Camphire" in the Song of Solomon, and was used by the Canaanite women in pre-biblical times. A Roman wall fresco, "The Aldobrandini Wedding" from 30 BCE, shows a scene of a bride with a headcap from the eastern, Syrian, part of the Roman empire in a scene consistent with a "Night of the Henna" celebration. In Syria, brides were hennaed as early as 3500 BCE, and the traditions of henna for weddings were well established. The Mother in this scene appears to have henna patterns on her hand. The Canaanites spread their traditions, including the use of henna, across North Africa between 1700 and 600 BCE, specifically establishing the Berber traditions of henna in Morocco.
When Islam began in the 6-7th centuries AD, henna was incorporated into the customs of Muslims from the western Middle Eastern women's henna traditions that were widespread and long established. As Islam expanded quickly into other countries, the use of henna went with it.
Henna was grown and used in Spain, by Christians and Moors from the 9th century AD to 1567 when it was outlawed by the Spanish Inquisition. All of the countries that were part of the Islamic world have used henna at some time, most frequently as part of wedding celebrations. They continue to celebrate the "Night of the Henna" and regard henna as a beautiful and suitable ornament for women.
The most complex and elegant henna patterning in the Islamic world was from 900 to 1550 AD in Persia, Turkey and Iraq. There are many miniatures and pottery pieces showing elegantly patterned black henna from this period. Such delicate and expressive patterning did not reappear in henna until late in this century.
Henna use in all the Middle Eastern and North African countries continued, though it fell out of favor early in the 20th century as women sought to emulate European and American fashions.
The earliest artifacts showing henna in India, that have been found are from about 400 AD, in the Ajanta caves. Though there are several figures in the Ajanta caves that have henna, they are only a very small percentage of all the people depicted. Therefore, though henna certainly was used from an early period in India, it was not widespread. Also, the henna appearing in Ajanta appears equally on men, women and servants, and was done as dip henna, without patterning. Bright red dip henna, made from a paste of fresh leaves was used, not the orange / brown/ black/ patterned henna made from dried and powdered leaves as appears in the Mediterranean and Middle East.
From 600 AD to 1300 AD, bright red dip henna appears frequently on Boddhisattvas and Buddhist clerics depicted in sculpture and wall paintings in Northern India, Nepal, Tibet, Ceylon and Burma.
After 1500 AD, henna is seen frequently on women in miniature paintings in India, though patterning is very rare until after 1700 AD. In Hindu India during this period, henna certainly is part of the cosmetic routine used by wives and concubines to look their best. Henna is also depicted on Kali and other Hindu deities during this period, and up to the present day.
By 1700, the bridal celebration of the Night of the Henna was a well established part of Muslim India's traditions, and married Muslim women in India frequently used henna to ornament themselves. A portrait of Mumtaz Mahal has one of the earliest patterned hennas on her hands found in India.
During the 1800s patterned henna is seen frequently in Indian artifacts, though the henna is always represented as red and never black. Dip henna and simple patterns adorn most women portrayed in Indian art since 1800, as well as many Hindu deities. Henna patterning in India has become very complex and beautiful in the 20th century, and is used as part of the celebration of almost all holidays.
Like all symbols, the varying designs often mean different things to different cultures. It's thus possible to recognize distinctions in cultural style. Arabic designs are generally large, floral patterns on the hands and feet. Whereas Indians (from India) traditionally use fine thin lines for lacy, floral, and paisley patterns which cover their entire hands, forearms, feet and shins; interestingly this is often performed as part of a pre marriage ritual.
Africans and Native/South American Indians tend to prefer bold, large geometric designs done in black. Africans have been known to apply a paste of ashes, ammonia compounds, and other corrosives to get the henna stain from orange to black. This can be poisonous and is NOT a recommended procedure for anyone but a highly trained/experienced professional, severe reactions may result and there've even been reports of deaths.
Data source: A Brief History of Henna by Catherine Cartwright-Jones
posted by Designer Dentist @ 12:08 PM
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