Now that we have some of the important facts about henna in the here and now, I think it’s important to go back to the beginning and figure out where all this talk of henna came from in the first place.
Henna, according to historians, has been around for at least 5,000 years. There are passages in the Bible that are believed to reference henna and it shows up in works of art that are as old as the 4th and 5th centuries AD. The specific origins of henna are widely debated, but most agree that it began somewhere in the Middle East or in Northern Africa.
Here are a few maps that show how henna may have spread:
Where henna has been for thousands of years
Henna has its uses in a wide variety of areas. The most well-known purpose is that of dying the hair and drawing semi-permanent tattoos on the hands and feet. But there are records of henna doing more for people; in the past it has been used to dye textiles like wool, silk and animal skins, being used for healing, and in the summer, henna is applied for its cooling properties.
In some places, it is believed that henna was first used to cool the body by dipping the hands and feet in. Over time, people realized that they could get the same effects from intricate designs. It became both fashionable (a good way to stand out without spending money) and allowed people to be comfortable in the hot weather.
Other uses include soothing burns, relieving headaches when mixed with vinegar, helping certain types of eczema, and coagulating open wounds.
Cool fact: Even mummies from 1200 BC have been found with traces of henna on them.
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