There is reference to Phulkari in ancient texts, folk legends, and literature of Punjab. In "Harishcharitra", the biography of the Emperor Harshavardhana (590-647 CE), the last ruler of great ancient Indian Vardhana empire, the seventh-century chronicler Bana wrote, "Some people were embroidering flowers and leaves on the cloth from the reverse side," which is a technical description of Phulkari embroidery.However, the earliest reference to the word Phulkari is in Punjabi literature in the 18th century Waris Shah's version of "Heer Ranjha" (a legendary Punjabi tragic romance) which describes the wedding trousseau of the female protagonist Heer and lists various clothing items with Phulkari embroidery. The first extensive English publication on Phulkari was by Flora Annie Steel in 1880 where she describes the various styles and exhibited the varieties in picture form.