Cochineal

Spain’s conquest of much of the New World in the 16th century introduced cochineal dyes to Europe which quickly sparked global demand. 

 It was brighter and more saturated than any other red dye in the Old World, roughly ten times more potent than the next best option.

Explosive demand led to rapid growth in production, which was done almost exclusively in Oaxaca by Indigenous producers. It became Mexico’s second-most valued export after silver, and by the 17th century, it was traded as far away as India.

Cochineal red became an international symbol of power in Europe and beyond, and access to it was controlled exclusively by the Spanish who kept the true source of the pigment a carefully guarded secret until the 18th century when European biologists finally deciphered its source to be an insect.

Farms began cropping up elsewhere which effectively ended the Mexican monopoly. By the 19th century, cochineal was largely replaced by synthetic dyes, though it is still used today in many foods, beverages, clothing, and cosmetics.

Redcoats

Pigments produces from the cochineal insect gave the English “Redcoats” their distinctive uniforms.

WyrdLight, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Clergy

Cochineal red became a symbol of authority in the Catholic Church, which dressed its cardinals in scarlet robes like this one.

VAwebteam, CC BY-SA 3.0