03-22-2014, 07:45 PM
Ok, I understand now!
Using cochineal, American, Armenian or Polish, as a substitute for kermes is in my eyes absolutely legitimate. Kermes was expensive even in ancient times; this is why it was used to dye the paludamenta of generals. The lice the dye is made from live on a certain oak-plant in the Mediterranean, the cocifera oak, which became very rare. It is impossible to tell if a fabric is dyed with cochineal or kermes just by looking at it.
Using cochineal, American, Armenian or Polish, as a substitute for kermes is in my eyes absolutely legitimate. Kermes was expensive even in ancient times; this is why it was used to dye the paludamenta of generals. The lice the dye is made from live on a certain oak-plant in the Mediterranean, the cocifera oak, which became very rare. It is impossible to tell if a fabric is dyed with cochineal or kermes just by looking at it.
Andreas Strassmeir
