TURNSOLE (TOḴM-E-ʿALAFĪ-E AFTĀB GARDEŠ/ ḴOR GARDESH, /ʿALAFĪ- E ĀFTĀB GARDĀN) DYE RECIPES

The Persian terms Toḵm-e-ʿalaf-e aftāb gardeš and tokhm-e-ḵor gardesh[1], tokhm-e ʿalaf- e āftāb gardān for turnsole all three derived from its other name “sun-follower” due to the flower’s rotation towards the sun (similar to how turnsole got its name, turning towards the sun). Other terms used in Persian for the plant Chrozophoria tinctoria is azraq[2], ranginak[3], goosh-barreh[4], gul-e aqrabi[5] and kabudak[6]. In historical treatises related to Chrozophoria tinctoria described as paper dyes, the terms Toḵm-e-ʿalafī-e aftāb gardeš, tokhm-e-ḵor gardesh, tokhm-e ʿalaf- e āftāb gardān. Kabbodak may have been refered to Chrozophoria tinctoria in the recipes which needs more investigation.

Seyrafi in Golzār-e Ṣafā (950 A.H./1543 A.D.), only mentions the blue dye from turnsole and does not make any comment on its instability.  He uses the term tokhm-e-ḵor gardesh[1] for turnsole and in the end of the recipe he advises to place the dyed cloth in the China bowl and pour cold water drip by drip to extract the blue dye from the cloth and recommend drying the paper in the shade after dyeing process:

كبودي اگر آهنگ كني          كه ورق نيز باين رنگ كني

شرط اينست كه در تابستان       تخم خور گردش گيري پس از آن

شيرة وي بفشاري و دگر          لَتة پاك بآن سازي تر

خشك در سايه كني اي دلدار     دگرش رنگ كني تا به سه بار

آبِ نوشادر آري و به آن         خاك را نَم كني اي جان جهان

لته در خاك گذاري يكدم          كه برآيد وي از آن بوي بهم

لاجوردي چو شود بيرون آر     تا دم كار نگاهش ميدار

پس به چيني نه و بروي هم تيز  آبِ سرد اندك اندك مي‌ريز

كاغذ آنگاه بكن رنگ بآن         خشك در سايه كن اي سروِ روان

 If you desire blue dye for paper, the process involves collecting turnsole fruits in summer and extracting it. Dip a clean piece of muslin cloth into the extract and allow the moist cloth to dry in the shade, repeating this process three times. Moisten some soil with a sal-ammoniac solution (nušador) and place the cloth inside the dampened soil for a while to allow penetration. When the cloth turns blue like lapis lazuli (lājevard), remove it and let it dry. Subsequently, place the cloth in a china bowl and add cold water drip by drip to extract the dye. Finally, dye the paper with it and let it dry in the shade.

If you wish to dye with blue, make it a tune,
So that even the paper shall mirror its boon.

The condition is this, as summer you greet,
Take the turnsole fruits, let them turn in your feat.

Press the juice from those turnsole fruits,
Soak it in pure cloth, with skillful deeds.

Let it dry in the shade, my dear,
Then dye it thrice, with colors clear.

Bring the juice of sal-ammoniac, do not abstain,
Tinge the soil to enhance the stain.

Place the cloth in the moistened earth,
Let it absorb fragrance and colors of worth.

When it turns blue outside the soil's domain,
Take it out, let it dry in the open terrain.

In a China bowl, pour cold water with grace,
Dye the paper in that colorful space.

Dry it in the shade, oh elegant one,
Follow this process until it's done.

In other two sources Resāleh Dar Bayān-e Ṭarīqeh-ye Sāḵtan-e Morakkab va Kāğaḏ-e Alvān (16th century) and Resāleh Dar Maʿrefat-e Kāğaḏ-e Alvān (19th century C.E.), the recipe for blue dye is explained and it is specified to use an earthen pot to place the cloth to absorb the turnsole extract.

رنگ کبود – این رنگ را بعضی به لکّه های کبود می کنند، امّا آن پسندیده نیست؛ زیرا کاغذ را درشت و شکننده می کند. امّا طریق احسن آن است که در فصلِ تابستان قدری تخم علف آفتاب گردان  بگیرد و در رکوی پاک شیرهٔ آن را بیالاید سه چهار نوبت؛ بعد از آن قدری نوشادر را نرم بسایند و در کوزه کنند و آب گرم در وی کند و بسیار حرکت دهند تا آب کف کند و در آفتاب نهند چند روز بدین منوال. چون کوزه باز از آب خالی ماند، رکوی را که به رنگ آلوده است در آن کوزه نهند و سرش را محکم ببندند ویک روز در آفتاب نهند و آن رکو که رنگ گرفته باشد بنهند، و هر گاه خواهند که کاغذ را رنگ کند همان طریق رنگ کنند و خشک کنند. و اگر خواهند که رنگ کاغذ روشنتر باشد بسیار کنند

For blue, some people dye with the extract of blue dyes from flowers, but it is not recommended because it makes the paper brittle and fragile. The best method is to take fruits of turnsole in summer and soak a clean cloth in its extract three to four times. Take some sal-ammoniac, grind it in a mortar until it becomes fine, and place it in an earthen pot (kuzeh). Add warm water and shake it to froth. Keep it in the sun for a few days. When the earthen pot is totally dry and free of water, place the cloth soaked in the extract of turnsole dye into it to obtain a blue clothlet. Tighten the lid and keep it in the sun for one day. To dye paper, add water to the clothlet and extract the blue dye for coloring paper. For each use, the process is the same. If a lighter color is required, add more water.

The other source has repeated the recipe in 19th century, in brief manner in Resāleh Dar Maʿrefat-e Kāğaḏ-e Alvān using the term Toḵm-e-ʿalaf-e aftāb gardeš as follows:

در فصل تابستان قدری تخم علف آفتاب گردش را آب بگیرد و رکوی بدان تر کند چند نوبت. و بعد از آن قدری نوشادر نرم ساید و در کوزه کند و آب گرم در وی ریزد و بسیار حرکت دهد تا آب کف برآرد و در آفتاب نهد بر این منوال. چون کوزهٔ آب خالی باشد، آن رکو را که به رنگ آلوده است در آن کوزه نهد و سرش محکم کند و در آفتاب نهد یک روزه آن رکو رنگ گرفته باشد، هر گاه که خواهد که کاغذ رنگ کند، به همان طریق رنگ کند و اگر خواهد که کاغذ روشنتر باشد، آب بیشتر کند.

The best way to make blue dye is to obtain some turnsole fruits in summer and moisten a piece of muslin cloth with its extract three times. Take some sal-ammoniac, grind it in a mortar until it becomes soft, and place it in an earthen pot (kuzeh). Add warm water and shake it to froth. Keep it in the sun for a few days. When the earthen pot is totally dry and free of water, place the cloth soaked in turnsole dye in it, tighten the lid, and keep it in the sun for one day to obtain a blue clothlet. To dye paper, add water to the clothlet and extract blue dye for coloring paper. For each use, the process is the same. If a lighter color is required, add more water.

[1] خور گردش (tokhm-e-ḵor gardesh):According to Mayel Heravi the term means sun-flower (( آفتاب گردش، آفتاب گردان  in: Mayel Heravi, N.: The Art of Bibliography in Islamic Civilization,  244

[2] azraq: ازرق:http://www.netplant.ir/PlantDataBase

[3] ranginak: رنگینک: http://www.netplant.ir/PlantDataBase

[4] goosh-barreh: گوش برّه : Hossein Hammami and et.al, Evaluation of Allelopathic Effects of Decay Duration of Giradol (Chrozophora tinctoria L.) on Seedling Growth of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum mill.), 157-161

[5] gul-e aqrabi: گل عقربی, Noori M, and et. al.,  A. Leaf Flavonoids of Chrozophora Neck (Euphorbiceae) Members in Markazi Province Using Chromatographical Methods, 118-126

[6] Kabudak: کبودک: Mayel Heravi, N.: The Art of Bibliography in Islamic Civilization, 59