Lawsonia inermis ver. alba... "henna". How much do you know about this incredible botanical? Was it sensual Mehndi body adornment or Cleopatra's favorite perfume? An aphrodisiac or a treatment for leprosy? An ancient Roman currency or a last right for the dead? This book takes a fascinating look at one of the most popular botanicals of all time. Never before has a book been devoted to henna as a whole. Drawing on botany, archeology, phytomedicine and folkloric history to define the many ambiguities and misconceptions surrounding it, thus presenting for the first time an accurate and complete history of henna. A portion of the proceeds from this book goes to charity and preservation of henna's history. - In extreme depth, henna's medicinal past is revealed. From the papyrus Ebers to the writings of Galen, discover henna's uses in all of the major Old World medicines. -Did you know henna has some of the most fragrant flowers on earth? Learn why women became addicted to them and the shocking basis for their allure. - Think you know the full story concerning henna body art? Think again. Find out how its history was manufactured in the 19th and 20th century to cover its true origins.

"In Yemen in 1920 ... Adela Damari's parents desperately seek a future husband for their young daughter. After passage of the Orphan's Decree, any unbetrothed Jewish child left orphaned will be instantly adopted by the local Muslim community. With her parents' health failing, and no spousal prospects in sight, Adela's situation looks dire until her uncle arrives from a faraway city, bringing with him a cousin and aunt who introduce Adela to the powerful rituals of henna tattooing"--Amazon.com.

Take a colorful walk through human ingenuity. Humans have been unpacking the earth to use pigments since cavemen times. Starting out from surface pigments for cave paintings, we’ve dug deep for minerals, mined oceans for colors and exploited the world of plants and animals. Our accidental fumbles have given birth to a whole family of brilliant blues that grace our museums, mansions and motorcars. We’ve turned waste materials into a whole rainbow of tints and hues to color our clothes, our food and ourselves. With the snip of a genetic scissor, we’ve harnessed bacteria to gift us with “greener” blue jeans and dazzling dashikis. As the pigments march on into the future, who knows what new and exciting inventions will emerge? Mary Virginia Orna, a world-recognized expert on color, will lead you through an illuminating journey exploring the science behind pigments. Pausing for reflections en route to share stories around pigment use and discoveries informed by history, religion, sociology and human endeavour, this book will have you absorbing science and regaling tales. Jam packed with nuggets of information, March of the Pigments will have the curiously minded and the expert scientist turning pages to discover more.

This popular volume on the culture of hair through human history and around the globe has been updated and revised to include even more entries and current information. How we style our hair has the ability to shape the way others perceive us. For example, in 2017, the singer Macklemore denounced his hipster undercut hairstyle, a style that is associated with Hitler Youth and alt-right men, and in 2015, actress Rose McGowan shaved her head in order to take a stance against the traditional Hollywood sex symbol stereotype. This volume examines how hair-or lack thereof-can be an important symbol of gender, class, and culture around the world and through history. Hairstyles have come to represent cultural heritage and memory, and even political leanings, social beliefs, and identity. This second edition builds upon the original volume, updating all entries that have evolved over the last decade, such as by discussing hipster culture in the entries on beards and mustaches and recent medical breakthroughs in hair loss. New entries have been added that look at specific world regions, hair coverings, political symbolism behind certain styles, and other topics.

'The Damned Fraternitie': Constructing Gypsy Identity in Early Modern England, 1500–1700 examines the construction of gypsy identity in England between the early sixteenth century and the end of the seventeenth century. Drawing upon previous historiography, a wealth of printed primary sources (including government documents, pamphlets, rogue literature, and plays), and archival material (quarter sessions and assize cases, parish records and constables's accounts), the book argues that the construction of gypsy identity was part of a wider discourse concerning the increasing vagabond population, and was further informed by the religious reformations and political insecurities of the time. The developing narrative of a fraternity of dangerous vagrants resulted in the gypsy population being designated as a special category of rogues and vagabonds by both the state and popular culture. The alleged Egyptian origin of the group and the practice of fortune-telling by palmistry contributed elements of the exotic, which contributed to the concept of the mysterious alien. However, as this book reveals, a close examination of the first gypsies that are known by name shows that they were more likely Scottish and English vagrants, employing the ambiguous and mysterious reputation of the newly emerging category of gypsy. This challenges the theory that sixteenth-century gypsies were migrants from India and/or early predecessors to the later Roma population, as proposed by nineteenth-century gypsiologists. The book argues that the fluid identity of gypsies, whose origins and ethnicity were (and still are) ambiguous, allowed for the group to become a prime candidate for the 'other', thus a useful tool for reinforcing the parameters of orthodox social behaviour.

Taking a global, multicultural, social, and economic perspective, this work explores the diverse and colourful history of human attire. From prehistoric times to the age of globalization, articles cover the evolution of clothing utility, style, production, and commerce, including accessories (shoes, hats, gloves, handbags, and jewellery) for men, women, and children. Dress for different climates, occupations, recreational activities, religious observances, rites of passages, and other human needs and purposes - from hunting and warfare to sports and space exploration - are examined in depth and detail. Fashion and design trends in diverse historical periods, regions and countries, and social and ethnic groups constitute a major area of coverage, as does the evolution of materials (from animal fur to textiles to synthetic fabrics) and production methods (from sewing and weaving to industrial manufacturing and computer-aided design). Dress as a reflection of social status, intellectual and artistic trends, economic conditions, cultural exchange, and modern media marketing are recurring themes. Influential figures and institutions in fashion design, industry and manufacturing, retail sales, production technologies, and related fields are also covered.