Where did henna come from?
Henna has been used since ancient, pre-Biblical times as a way of adorning one’s body, curing sickness, and paying homage and reverence to the gods. The traditions of henna continue today especially in the Middle East, where it is used on special occasions. In many Eastern cultures, henna is used to decorate a bride before her wedding day. Her feet and hands are covered in elaborate bridal mehndi designs, and it is said that until they fade, she is like a guest in her own house– her new husband does the chores for her! In Moroccan culture, henna is often used to ward off the evil eye. Henna has been used for everything from protection to worship to decoration and still is today.
…a short history of henna. There is very persuasive evidence that henna was used by the Neolithic people in Catal Huyuk, in the 7th millennium BCE to ornament their hands in connection with their fertility goddess. The religion these people practiced was the predecessor to the religions of all the people in the ancient Middle East, and henna seems to have been used by all of these people as part of their adornment and belief system. The earliest civilizations that can be proved to have used henna include the Babylonians, Assyrians, Sumerians, Semites, Ugaritics and Canaanites. The earliest written artifact that mentions henna being used specifically as an adornment for a bride or woman’s special occasion is in the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, inscribed on a tablet from about 2100 BCE, from north west Syria. Anath was a goddess of fertility and battle. In the legend, she adorned her hands with henna before battle, and brides ornamented their hands with henna as a preparation for
