Red Vordan

Cochineal red is an ancient natural dye known since antiquity, derived from the insect of the same name (Porphyrophora hamelii) that inhabits the wetlands of the Ararat Plain. This dye has been one of the most important export products of the Armenian Highlands and has been widely used in the textile industry, miniature painting, the production of royal seals, and cosmetics. The process of obtaining the dye is linked to the life stages of the insect. Cochineal insects spend most of the year underground, feeding on the roots of certain plants, and only emerge to the surface for reproduction during September and October. To obtain the dye, only female insects are collected from sunrise until the dew disappears. The collected raw material undergoes special processing: the insects are dried, then ground and boiled in water with the addition of certain natural ingredients, resulting in a dark red (apricot) color that possesses exceptional stability against light, water, and time. Historical sources mention cochineal red from the 5th century BC. The Greek historian Herodotus and Roman authors testify that Armenian red threads and fabrics were of high quality and considered objects of luxury. In the Middle Ages, particularly during the period of the Arab Caliphate, the dye and the leather dyed with it were exported from the city of Dvin to both Eastern and Western countries. In Armenian manuscripts preserved in the Matenadaran, cochineal red was used for illustrations and the writin