Description
POMEGRANATE RIND (Punica granatum): Asian fruit tree noted by 2000 BC as a useful plant: seed pulp went into wines and syrups, wood was used for medicine and insecticides. The rind was used as a tannin mordant c.1100 BC as well as a dye.
Dye chemicals: grantonine, tannin.
Medieval herbalists believed the red fruit was the symbol of unity of faith, of plentitude and hope, or that the pomegranate was the real ‘apple’ that Eve tasted in the Garden of Eden. An old Spanish dye recipe boils pomegranate rind with barley straw and torvisco (Daphne gnidium) for a beautiful saffron yellow. Good on cellulose fiber. Light-fast and wash-fast.
Pomegranate rind extract is a good color for hand-painting on fabric as well as a medieval illumination pigment. Unfortunately, the fresh garnet-colored seed is a disappointing dye and fades quickly.
AKA: Carthage apple, love apple, pound garnet, [It] grenadier, malicorio, [L] malum punicum, pomi granati, [Jp] zakuro. [Pakistan]
Amount: 4oz
Results:
Alum mordant: peachy yellow to dusky golden
Copper mordant: drab gold to old gold
Iron mordant: moss green to gray-green
Tin mordant: yellow
