Dyeing fabrics is one of the oldest human activities, and mordants have been used to aid in dyeing throughout much of history.  There are mentions of alum, the earliest mordant, dating back to ancient Egypt,  in 2000 B.C. 

Mordants are used with natural dyes, to help bind the dye molecule to the fabric.....or, in our case, to the protein molecules in an egg’s shell.  Modern aniline dyes do not require a mordant; they do work better with acidifying agents like vinegar (acetic acid) or setting powder (citric acid).

More to follow.

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