Maya Blue – a colour used in Mesoamerican art. Though it would be a great name for a person, Maya Blue (a/k/a Azul Maya) is in fact a dye used in art from the Mayan empire (hence the name). It was, apparently, made of indigo dyes, of the leaves of the añil plant and of the clay bearing the rather awesome name 'palygorskite'. It dates back to 800 A.D. and is known for its resistance to the wear and tear of time. Excitingly, the ink may have had a role in contemporary Maya human sacrifices.
