Related to textile craft, was the indigo crop and the extraction of the dye from the stalk and leaves of the plant. Who describes the earliest method of indigo extraction?

Correct option is D

The traveler who describes the earliest method of indigo extraction among the given options is Marco Polo.
The process of indigo dye extraction in India was documented by the Venetian traveler Marco Polo during his stay around the late 13th century (specifically his return journey, ca. 1292-1293).

Information Booster

Marco Polo provided one of the earliest known European descriptions of the indigo dye-making process in India in his book, The Travels of Marco Polo. He detailed the method of rotting the leaves of the plant in water to produce a residue that could be dried and used as a dye, which is a classic, early method.

Additional Knowledge 

Isami: He was a historian of the Deccan Sultanates (14th century) and author of Futuh-us-Salatin. His work focuses on political and military history and does not typically include detailed descriptions of industrial crafts like dye extraction.

Barani: Ziyauddin Barani was a major historian of the Delhi Sultanate (14th century), author of Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi. His focus was on the administrative and political history of the Sultans, not on technical accounts of trade goods production.

Ibn Battuta: The famous Moroccan traveler (14th century) extensively chronicled his travels across the world, including India. While he provides a wealth of information on trade, cities, and crops, his accounts of the technical steps of indigo extraction are not noted as the earliest or most detailed among these choices. Marco Polo precedes him with a specific description.