Tie-dyed clothing might not seem like millennia-old artistic craft. Known in North America as a symbol of the 1960s hippie movement, it makes for an easy DIY project with materials available at the dollar store. 

But throughout history, tie-dying has been a coveted, bespoke—and in some cases, forbidden—practice that could convey an individual’s status, role, and beliefs.

Different methods and styles of tie-dye originated largely independent from each other across the ancient world from Peru to Nigeria, Japan and Southeast Asia. The technique is a form of resist dyeing, in which thread is used or the textile is tied onto itself, to create knots that protect certain areas of the material from being dyed. Each culture found unique twists to add through