Woad is a plant that has been used for centuries by many different cultures. The word woad comes from the Latin ‘woadia’ and it is a member of the family of plants called ‘Cruciferae’. Cruciferae are also known as mustard plants, which grow wild all over Europe.
The Romans used woad as a dye for their soldiers’ uniforms. They would use it to color their shields and other items of clothing. The name ‘woad’ came from the Old English word ‘weod’, which means ‘wild’. This was because the plant was found growing wild in fields and meadows, rather than being cultivated as explained in details on woadtoad.com blog.
The Celts were also known for using woad as a dye, but they used it to dye their hair blue instead of their clothes. They believed that this was a sign of strength and power and would do this before going into battle. In fact, they even believed that blue-haired people were invulnerable!
The Celts also used woad in medicine as well as in making paint. One of their medicines used woad seeds to treat eye infections, while another one used them to treat wounds on animals!
