The red pigment, associated with power and wealth, has fascinated humans for millennia.
When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen's crown.
The historical journey of the cochineal mirrors the journeys of several other global staples – such as potatoes, chilli and tomatoes – that originated from pre-Columbian Mexico and South America. They were paid in pennies while their labour allowed Spain to maintain its monopoly on the valuable red dye.The historical journey of the cochineal mirrors the journeys of other global staples such as chillis and tomatoes. Before the conquistadors began the cochineal trade, achieving a rich red hue was a challenge, which meant European nobility had to use purple and blue instead.
In France, King Louis XIV's penchant for red was evident in his lavish décor choices, which included 435 red beds in his palace at Versailles.He even instituted a law in 1673 restricting the coveted red heels to aristocrats who were granted permission by the monarch himself, effectively making them a hallmark of royal favour.
In an experiment at the 2004 Athens Olympics, athletes across four contact sports were randomly clad in either red or blue. Those who wore red were more often victorious.
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