Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates
With pleasant fruits,
Fragrant henna with spikenard,
Spikenard and saffron,
Calamus and cinnamon,
With all trees of frankincense,
Myrrh and aloes,
With all the chief spices . . .
—The Song of Solomon 4:13–14
What Is Henna?
Henna is a plant that has been used for thousands of years as a medicinal aid and to make a dye for staining skin, hair, nails, cloth, and animal skins.
Botanically known as Lawsonia inermis, it has dark green leaves, bears delicate white flowers, and has a growing height of up to ten feet. Other variants can produce pink, red, or yellow blossoms. These blossoms are beautifully fragrant and have long been used as perfume. The Prophet Muhammad claimed it was his favorite scent. Henna blossom attar, or essential oil, is known as Gulhina and is usually produced in India.
While henna is an arid-climate-loving plant, it can now be found in the tropical or subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, and Australasia. The parts of the plant used for dye or medicine are from the dried petioles, or leavestock, and leaves. Mostly produced in India and Africa, this dried powder can now be found for sale around the world. There is some plant variation from region to region due to the differing climates and soil conditions, and it is said that henna has different colouring properties dependent on its origin of growth. The dried powder is naturally of various greenish-brown hues, and the resulting stain ranges from orange to brick red to deep brown. Even though “black henna” is often offered to tourists, there is no such thing as a natural black henna, and the resulting black stain is caused by mixing henna with chemicals, often simply the potent chemical PPD on its own, which presents serious health hazards.
The actual powder is manufactured by drying and crushing the leaves from the henna bush, which is then sifted to remove debris. Good-quality henna powder is best when it comes from one country of origin, though quite often powder from several countries is blended to keep the price lower.
A Plant of Many Names
Henna is one of the most universally used and loved plants; virtually every country in the world has a name for it and a different way of wearing and applying it. From Egypt to India, China to Spain, its magic has woven its way through history to become one of the true sacred plants.
Henna plant (Lawsonia inermis)
The different names of henna used culturally include:
- Henu (hnw) or puker (Egyptian)
- Kupr or kufer (Coptic)
- Kypros (Greek)
- Kopfer (Jewish)
- Al-henna, hinna, al-qatab (Arabic)
- Mehndi (Hindi)
- Madayantika (Sanskrit)
- Egyptian privet, camphire, cypress shrub,
Jamaica mignonette, smooth lawsonia (English) - Alchanna (Medieval Latin, European)
- Quene (French)
- Wu bai zu, tche kia hoa (Chinese)
- Tsume hana (Japanese)
So Where Did It Come From?
It is often difficult to precisely pinpoint henna’s origin due to continual migration and cultural integration, but there is evidence of its early use by the Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, Romans, Persians, and Indians. The ancient Egyptians used henna in the mummification process; the Romans reputedly took on the tradition of the Germanic Teutones to dye their hair flaming red when going to battle (traders accompanied them with supplies of henna); and the Romans documented the use of henna by the Jews in Jerusalem around the time of the birth of Christ. Some believe that henna was used during erotic rituals of the ancient goddess cultures of southern China.
The first thing that met his eyes was a
mummified hand ... the long fingers were perfect,
and the almond-shaped nails had been stained
with henna, as was the embalmers’ fashion.
—H. Rider Haggard, Smith and the Pharaohs
The earliest documented and proven uses of henna were discovered in the tombs of the ancient Egyptians. Several of the mummies discovered were found to have had their hands and feet stained or their hair pasted with what we presume is henna, indicating that this was perhaps a part of the mummification ritual. Dried henna leaves have also been found in Late Kingdom tombs. The nineteenth-century Egyptologist and botanist P. E. Newbury discovered some henna twigs at a Ptolemaic cemetery at Hawara, Egypt, which was recorded in the notes of fellow Egyptologist William Flinders Petrie.
There are several etchings on pyramid walls (c. 2291 bce) that directly mention “henu”—henna. This is further substantiated by the use of the word henu in hieroglyphics found repeatedly throughout Egyptian history, and it is categorically mentioned in some detail in the Ebers Papyrus, an ancient pharmacopoeia written in Thebes around 1500 bce. The Egyptian word for henna in its consonant form was hnw or later in the Coptic form Kpr, translated as “Kupros” or “Cyperus.”
The Egyptian origin of henna seems to be the most compelling, as there is so much documented evidence, but that may be due purely to the superb recordkeeping skills of the ancient Egyptians. Much has obviously been lost, but we do have sufficient evidence to prove that they used this wonderful plant in its medicinal and perfumery capacity and as a dye for their hair and fingernails.
My beloved is unto me as a
cluster of camphire [henna flowers]
in the vineyards of Engedi.
—The Song of Solomon 1:14
Henna is mentioned in the Bible, especially in the words of the Song of Solomon, where it is often referred to as “camphire,” and also in the Babylonian Talmud, where it states that “the rose, henna, lotus, and balsam, as well as their proceeds, are subject to the laws of the sabbatical year.”
What Was Henna Used For?
Henna has been used for centuries in various capacities:
Medicinal: A few examples are for cuts, stings, astringent, and cooling (as a sunscreen).
Cosmetic: Predominantly used as a hair dye but also to stain nails.
Decorative: Used as a skin decoration during special occasions and rituals
or for pleasure.
Healing Henna
The naturalist Pliny and Greek physician Dioscorides both mention a tree called cyprus in their first-century ad writings; it derives from kypros, a name given to the henna that was found in abundance on the island of Cyprus. Cyprus grew at Canopus on the Egyptian Delta, and it has now been identified as being Lawsonia inermis (henna), as it had very fragrant flowers. Pliny mentions a recipe for Cyprinum unguent using the plant: “Take seeds of the cyprus tree and boil them in olive oil. Crush the seeds and strain the oil.”
This ointment was described by Dioscorides as “sweet smelling, heating and mollifying,” which mellowed the taste of “hot medicine” when ingested.[1] He also recommended henna for mouth ulcers and “hot inflammations and carbuncles,” and suggested mixing the flowers with vinegar to apply to the forehead for headaches.
The Ebers Papyrus mentions seven types of henna, depending on the age of the plant or part of the plant used and where it was obtained (henna from the north, henna from the fields, henna from the marshes, etc.). Each area would produce a slightly different type or strength of henna due to the environmental conditions, such as aridity or moisture, which affected the lawsone (pigment) content of the plant. It is now known that water severely inhibits the staining quality of henna, and therefore it is understandable that cultivation of the plant was often restricted to hot, dry climates. To make full use of henna’s depth of staining, it is imperative to obtain powder that has been dried and stored correctly. If the leaves were damp when they were collected, the chance of obtaining a good dark stain is less likely. However, using a henna paste from fresh leaves was a common practice for medicinal purposes as it did not leave a stain; therefore, treating a headache by plastering the paste on the forehead would leave the patient mercifully unstained.
Henna’s medicinal uses in ancient Egypt ranged from treating fungal infections and inflammation to an astringent to stop diarrhea and as a cure for snake bites and scorpion stings. It was also used as a cooling remedy, often applied to the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, or as a form of deodorant by placing the leaves under the arms. Women from Nubia would use the plant to deepen the already dark qualities of their skin until they resembled “a ripe date.”[2]
One quote from the Ebers Papyrus is a recommendation of the healing qualities of henna, taken from the temple of Osiris: “Look to it because this is the true remedy. It was found among the proven remedies in the temple of the God Osiris. It is a remedy, which drives away the scurf in every limb of a person. Yes, it heals at once. You see.”[3]
Henna is still used in the beautiful Egyptian Kyphi recipe used for incense, oils, and unguents. Kyphi is revered as a highly spiritual mix and was traditionally used at night.
In Muslim societies, henna was also used extensively in a medicinal capacity; according to the recordings of Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi: “Allah safeguards against three [diseases] whoever dyes oneself with henna: jodam (true leprosy), baras (vitiligo), and ākela (chancre).”[4] The application of henna was believed to play a part in the traditional practices of the prophets, including hennaing the hair to cure headaches and applying it to help prevent body odor. In various hadiths (oral traditions) of Islam, the use of henna as a remedy or as a dye was mentioned; as Hazrat Umme Salma narrated: “In the life of the Prophet Muhammad, no injury or thorn piercing was treated on which henna was not applied.”[5]
These remedies and traditions have continued and are used in rural areas to this day through folklore recipes for cracked heels, knife wounds, ringworm, and scalp problems.
Use henna, it makes your head lustrous,
cleanses your hearts, increases the sexual vigour
and will be witness in your graves.
—Words from the Prophet Muhammad [6]
Henna, Hair, and Nails
Henna has been recorded as a dye for hair and nails since the ancient Egyptians documented it in their pharmaceutical and sacred papyri. As mentioned earlier, Egyptian mummies have been found that appear to have hennaed fingernails; some experts believe that this would have helped retain the lifelike appearance of the nails due to the conditioning properties of henna and also its ability to prevent fungal spores from growing on the body. The use of henna as a nail adornment is evident in Egypt from the New Kingdom period, but only on the hands of women in certain trades such as songstresses, entertainers, and prostitutes. It is likely that, similar to tattooing, the use of cosmetic henna in many ancient cultures may have been restricted to those of the lower classes.
In later years, hennaed fingernails were seen in a variety of cultures such as the Kingdom of Lanna (Lan Na, or Kingdom of Million Rice Fields), a state in what is now northern Thailand from the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries, which has depictions of princesses with long hennaed nails and fingertips.
The use of henna to dye the hair (and even beards) was commonplace in many ancient cultures; the Egyptian King Ramses II is one of the most famous men to have hennaed hair, and it is possible that Queen Hatshepsut, the female pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty, was also an advocate, as was her wet nurse, whose mummy still exhibits a swathe of deep auburn hair.[7]
Because the Prophet Muhammad documented his use of henna for dyeing his beard, his followers also adopted the practice, and it has been so until modern times. His daughter Fatima also applied henna to her hands, and the symbol of the Hand of Fatima is representative of her decorated palms.
Aside from wedding, birthing, and circumcision rituals, Muslims use henna to help celebrate various other very important festivals, such as the holy month of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha.
Henna’s wonderful conditioning and staining properties meant it was popular throughout Africa, India, and the Middle East, where it grew prolifically. Henna strengthens and binds keratin, which is the protein that makes up both hair and nails and so is perfect for keeping them strong, supple, and healthy. Due to its many medicinal properties, not only was henna a useful cosmetic, but it also helped maintain hair, skin, and nail health.
In the first century ad, the Greek physician Dioscorides mentions a henna “shampoo” for dyeing the hair yellow or reddish made from pulverized henna leaves that had been macerated in soapwort; for a black dye, oak galls, ivy, and various other plants were used. It has also been used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, amongst other things, as a scalp treatment for dandruff and hair loss, and as sacred oil for the crown chakra, which is the spiritual point on the top of the head that represents our communion with our higher nature or God.
Over the centuries, many women have stained their nails with henna for cosmetic and religious purposes. As hennaing does not prohibit water from cleansing the body, it was deemed to be suitable for Jewish and Muslim women to use.
The beauty of henna as a hair dye spread across the globe and was seen as the epitome of exotica when it reached the realm of the nineteenth-century Victorians. The lustrous, flaming chestnut or mahogany locks created by pure red henna were viewed as quite daring, and it was mainly actresses, ladies of the night, or bohemian society girls who flaunted them. Various other types of “henna” were also available, but they were not pure red henna but rather other herbs or plants with conditioning or staining properties to create a wealth of colours, some of which have now been proven to be potentially dangerous.
Henna’s Sacred Art
Records show that the use of henna paste as a form of decoration or mystical symbolism has been in practice globally for around 5,000 years. According to some authorities, the earliest text mentioning henna in the context of fertility and marriage rituals derives from the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath. Ugarit was a prominent town in the ancient land of Syria around 2100 bce; several fragments of clay tablets found there allude to a word assumed to mean “henna.” In translation, the myth mentions that the goddess Anath would adorn herself with rouge and “henna” (or the word believed to mean henna) before slaughtering men and wading in their blood! There are also several statues and wall paintings from the Mediterranean circa 1700 bce that imply the use of henna as a bodily decoration. However, there are several other plants that can produce a dye similar to henna, such as ochre, vermillion, sandalwood, and alkalized turmeric, and therefore we may be wrong to assume that all red body art has been created by henna.
For centuries, women have used henna culturally and ritually to enhance their sexuality, to celebrate, or to protect themselves or others. They hennaed their hands and feet to keep themselves safe from the evil eye, which could cause them to be infertile or bring about catastrophe for themselves or their families. Red palms have been associated with love and fertility for centuries; dancers, wives, and princesses all used the potent power of henna to protect, enhance, or seduce. They were hennaed for love, betrothal, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and health.
All over the world, henna has been used ceremonially for centuries, and even today it is still a major part of celebrations and rituals from different cultures. The Muslim festivals of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Mawlid are all celebrated with the joyous application of henna to the women and children; during Eid al-Fitr, even the animals get hennaed! In the Hindu religion, the celebrations of Diwali and Karwa Chauth include henna, and Jews still incorporate it in the festivals of Purim and Passover. Marriages, births, deaths, and circumcision are also celebrated with henna decorations in Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim cultures. However, during the 1500s in Spain, henna came under persecution. In an edict issued in Granada in 1526 by the Roman Catholic Church, the decorating of fingernails with henna was banned due to the anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish movement. This was briefly overturned, only to be reinstated in 1530, whereby any woman found to be decorated with henna was brought before the Inquisition, and usually under torture she was questioned as to the nature of the use. If henna was found to be used for Muslim or Jewish celebrations, she would be convicted of heresy and put to death; if it was proven to be merely for decoration, she was spared. Finally, in 1567, henna was banned completely. Luckily, this was not to be permanent, and today henna is freely available to use around the world.
Henna designs vary from region to region, with cultural influences vividly depicted in the patterns. There tend to be three main types of design that are commonly used:
Indian: These tend to be very intricate and almost like lace, with floral, paisley, and fine lines used.
Arabic: The designs tend to be based around nature and are often quite large, with flowers, leaves, and calligraphy interwoven.
African: These are bold, geometric, and made with a combination of thick and thin lines.
© Alex Morgan, www.spellstone.com
A North African/Moroccan-style pattern hennaed goatskin drum top (6-inch size)
All-Purpose Henna
Not only has henna been used as a medicine, a cosmetic, and a human body art form, its incredible dyeing power has been used throughout the centuries to dye wool and silk and decorate drums, lamps, and other leather goods in general. Even animals have been dyed with henna. In Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, springtime equinox festivals were held where the horses were decorated with henna, possibly dating back to around 2,000 bce.[8] Horses would have their hooves, manes, and tails stained red for festivals and battles; beautiful patterns would be painted onto the animals that would unsettle the enemy and convey a powerful image of strength and victory.
Goats and sheep were also purified with henna for traditional feast days and sacrifice in Middle Eastern countries.
The beautiful poem “In Praise of Henna” is by the Indian politician and poet Sarojini Naidu (1879–1949):
A kokila[9] called from a henna-spray:
Lira! liree! Lira! liree!
Hasten, maidens, hasten away
To gather the leaves of the henna-tree.
Send your pitchers afloat on the tide,
Gather the leaves ere the dawn be old,
Grind them in mortars of amber and gold,
The fresh green leaves of the henna-tree.
A kokila called from a henna-spray:
Lira! liree! Lira! liree!
Hasten maidens, hasten away
To gather the leaves of the henna-tree.
The tilka’s red for the brow of a bride,
And betel-nut’s red for lips that are sweet;
But, for lily-like fingers and feet,
The red, the red of the henna-tree.[10]
[1] Lise Manniche, An Ancient Egyptian Herbal (London: British Museum Publications Ltd., 1989), 54.
[2] Ibid., 114.
[3] Catherine Cartwright-Jones, The Henna Page, http://www.hennapage.com/henna/encyclopedia/medical
/ebers.html.
[4] HuŠang ‘Alam, “Henna,” Encyclopaedia Iranica Online (vol. 12, 2004), www.iranica.com.
[5] As quoted in Dr. M. Laiq Ahmed Khan’s article “Henna (Mehndi) Is a Great Healer,” http://www.islamic voice.com/november.99/tibb.htm.
[6] Ibid.
[7] See http://mathildasanthropologyblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/mummies-and-mummy-hair-from
-ancient-egypt/.
[8] The Henna Page, http://www.hennapage.com/henna/encyclopedia/horses/springfest.html.
[9] An Indian cuckoo, a bird often mentioned in the Kama Sutra.
[10] From The Golden Threshold by Sarojini Naidu. Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/680.