Picture of Queen Elizabeth I
 

The Color Indigo

  • Interesting Facts and information about the Meaning of Color Indigo
  • Who was allowed to wear the color Indigo?
  • The Symbolic meaning
  • The Biblical meaning of the color Indigo
  • How the color was produced

Picture of Queen Elizabeth I

The Color Indigo

The Meaning of the color Indigo
The color and material used in Elizabethan Clothing was extremely important. People who could wear the color Indigo was dictated by English Law. These were called the Sumptuary Laws. The colors of Elizabethan clothes, including the color Indigo, provided information about the status of the man or woman wearing them. This was not just dictated by the wealth of the person, it also reflected their social standing. The meaning of colors during the Elizabethan era represented many aspects of their life - the social, religious, biblical and Christian symbolism was reflected in the color Indigo.

 
 
 

The Symbolic and Religious Meaning of the color Indigo
Some interesting facts and information about the
symbolic, religious, Christian and Biblical meaning of the color Indigo

  • The color of Indigo was a deep, rich dark blue
  • Sometimes referred to as Royal Blue with its obvious connotation
  • The symbolic meaning of the color indigo was power, importance and wealth
  • Indigo with the color blue has a Biblical meaning symbolizing heavenly grace. The Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing indigo or blue clothing
 
  • The source was the indigo plants and the dye was imported from India - extremely expensive and used to produce the color indigo
  • Indigo dye held colors fast and this rich color was worn by the wealthy and not to be confused with the color blue which was produced by using cheap blue dye obtained from woad
  • People who were allowed to wear the color indigo during the Elizabethan era, as decreed by the English Sumptuary Laws, were Royalty, Nobility and members of the Council

The Dye used to produce the color Indigo
Some interesting facts and information about the dyes used to produce the color.
Indigo dye held colors fast and this rich color was worn by the wealthy and should not to be confused with the color blue which was produced by using cheap blue dye obtained from woad. The source was the indigo plants ( Indigofera tinctoria of India )and the dye was imported from India at great expense. Indigo dye was produced by a process of fermentation, filtering and finally drying into cakes of dye.

 

More details, facts and information about other colors may be accessed via the Elizabethan Clothing link at the top of the page.

The Color Indigo

  • Interesting Facts and information about the Meaning of Color Indigo
  • Who was allowed to wear the color Indigo?
  • The Symbolic meaning
  • The Biblical meaning
  • How the color Indigo was produced
  • The effect of the English Sumptuary Laws
 
 

Queen Elizabeth's Coat of Arms

 

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 Elizabethan Era
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Queen Elizabeth's Coat of Arms

The Color Indigo

 

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