Bengala is (iron oxide) iron that comes from the soil, and the origin of the word is from
the Bengala area in India as the process was introduced in that area. In Japan, it has
been used for coloring ceramics and lacquer ware. It also functions as protection against
insect infestation and decay when it is used for staining wood siding for houses.
It is an ancient color, made from the oldest pigments, and has been used since the Old
Stone Age. You can also see it in the Lascaux Caves in France and the Altamira Caves
in Spain.
Since Bengala is a harmless and natural material, it has been used as a fabric dye
and to dye organic products.It is said that the greatest quantity of red soil on earth is
iron oxide. Red is a color familiar to human beings, and Bengala, taken from the earth
since ancient time, is a main color of the earth.