"In the sixteenth century, one of the world's most precious commodities was cochineal, a legendary red dye treasured by the ancient Mexicans and sold in the great Aztec marketplaces, where it attracted the attention of the Spanish conquistadors. Shipped to Europe, the dye created a sensation, producing the brightest, strongest red the world had ever seen. Soon Spain's cochineal monopoly was worth a fortune. As the English, French, Dutch, and other Europeans joined the chase…
The story of Cochineal, a small bug harvested from nopal leaves in Mexico, is a hidden gem in the history of the modern world. These bugs, when dried and ground, yielded one of the most expensive and prized red dyes in the world. The description above summarizes what makes this story so fascinating. Regardless of your area of interest, the story of cochineal is sure to make you reexamine your understanding of fashion, economics, and the industrialized world.