 Wax resist dyeing of fabric is an ancient art form . It already existed in Egypt in the 4th century BC , where it was used to wrap mummies ; linen was soaked in wax , and scratched using a stylus . In Asia , the technique was practised in China during the Tang Dynasty ( 618 @-@ 907 AD ) , and in India and Japan during the Nara Period ( 645 @-@ 794 AD ) . In Africa it was originally practised by the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria , <unk> and Wolof in Senegal . These African version however , uses cassava starch or rice paste , or mud as a resist instead of beeswax . 
