safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Ingredients

safflower florets, alkaline solution, acid (for precipitation), yellow precarthamin, red carthamin

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The extraction of red carthamin from safflower is a multi-step process. First, the florets are thoroughly washed in water to remove the yellow dyestuff (precarthamin). The remaining material is immersed in an alkaline solution to extract the red dye. The resulting liquor is filtered and then precipitated with an acid to obtain a bright pink dye containing carthamin molecules (p. 10). Historically, black alum and white vinegar or juices of sour fruits like apricot and orange were used to complete the acidic precipitation (p. 10). Paper could be directly dipped into the dye bath and did not require a mordanting process (p. 10).

Evidence

"The analyses conducted at KIK-IRPA in Brussels have revealed that safflower was used as the main dyestuff until the industrial era, when imported synthetic dyes supplanted natural colorants."

Remarks

Safflower (al ‘usfur or qurtum in Arabic) was a local plant in Morocco, particularly in the Souss region (p. 10). It produces two dyestuffs: a water-soluble yellow and an alkali-soluble red (p. 10). Although safflower has poor light fastness, its use in interleaves was protected by the text block (p. 11).