Colours, Commodities and the Birth of Globalization

This rich edited collection shines a light on the vibrant and complex histories of American natural dyes over the course of the last 500 years. The book’s chapters weave together stories of labor and the environment, of global markets and transoceanic corporations as well as backwoods piracy and local politics. Colours, Commodities and the Birth of Globalization offers an essential perspective on natural dyes’ enduring importance as trade items as well as sites of exploitation, negotiation, and innovation. - Molly A. Warsh, Associate Professor of History, University of Pittsburgh, USA
This volume is an important addition to the scholarship on global dyestuffs, recognising the role played by colours and the control of dye materials in global networks. With the inclusion of Spanish and Portuguese sources, the chapters collectively offer a narrative of commodities, labour and colonial exploitation across the centuries. * Pippa Lacey, Independent Scholar, UK *
This book offers a wide range of intriguing and surprising cases and experiences from the early centuries of globalization. * Steven Topik, Professor of History Emeritus, University of California, Irvine, USA *
A rich and innovative book, it offers new perspectives in economic history, environmental studies, and the history of technology and knowledge. It highlights the significant role of natural dyes from the Americas in the Atlantic trade since the 16th century up to the height of industrialization, as well as the fundamental contributions of forced labour, including Africans and indigenous peoples. * Lilaine Hilaire-Perez, Professor of Early Modern History, University of Paris, France *