Plural of dye; coloring substances used to change the color of materials, or the act of applying such substances.
From Old English 'deag' meaning dye or color, related to Old Norse 'deig'. The word evolved through Middle English, maintaining its essential meaning while expanding to include synthetic colorants developed in the 19th century.
The discovery of synthetic dyes in 1856 by William Henry Perkin revolutionized fashion and chemistry, making vibrant colors affordable for ordinary people for the first time. Ancient purple dye was so expensive it was reserved for royalty because it required thousands of murex snails to produce just a small amount.
Textile dyeing labor (historically women, enslaved people, indentured workers) rendered invisible in discussions of dye chemistry and fashion. Colonial extraction of dye plants erased indigenous knowledge systems, particularly women's botanical expertise.
Credit dye-work as skilled labor. Center indigenous and women's knowledge of plant/color chemistry. Name labor conditions when discussing textile production.
Women dyers and textile makers across cultures held and transmitted essential knowledge. Indigenous women's ethnobotany shaped global trade; this deserves acknowledgment.
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