What an odd term: “Turkey red oil.” It has nothing to do with fowl. It owes its name to a connection with the dye known as “Turkey red,” which in turn is named after the country of Turkey from where it was first imported into Europe around the 18th century. The source of the dye is the root of the madder plant, Rubia tinctorum, which was cultivated in China, India and Egypt long before Turkey existed as a country. Cloth dyed with madder was recovered by archeologists exploring the ancient city of Mohenjo-daro, founded around 2500 BC, now in Pakistan, and was also found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.
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