The History of the Color Red

  The color red represents courage, passion, power, and love. The history of this bold and captivating color is fascinating. From cave paintings made by our ancient ancestors to the VIP red carpet, the color red broadcasts vitality, importance, and romance.  

An Ancient Color

Red is the first color babies see, and more than 40,000 years ago, it was the first color our ancestors used as pigment. They painted their bodies and cave walls with it. They even buried their dead with red powder to ward off evil spirits as their loved ones traveled to the afterlife. (source) Ancient Egyptians associated the color red with the deity Hathor, the goddess of love. Roman brides wore red to symbolize love and fidelity, as do Chinese brides even today. It's possible that the custom of laying out the red carpet for dignitaries and celebrities began with Chinese bridal customs. A Chinese bride wears red, rides to her wedding on a red litter, walks the red carpet to the altar, and receives her first kiss under a red veil. (source)    

Red Bugs & Cinnabar

In Europe, red pigments came from two sources. One, a coffee plant relative, Rubia tinctorum, commonly called rose madder. The other, the dried and crushed bodies of a bug called Kermes vermilio. Both of these resulted in a brownish-red tint. When the Spaniards arrived in the Americas, they discovered a new red pigment used by the Aztecs. This one was bright red. To achieve this stunning color, the Aztecs dried and crushed the bodies of a different bug called cochineal. This tiny scale bug they scraped off plants became a lucrative trade commodity and soon spread throughout Europe as the pigment carmine. (source) Several ancient cultures, including the Greeks & Romans, Chinese & Japanese, as well as the Mayans, used red pigment derived from cinnabar. Cinnabar is a mercury sulfide mineral that is as toxic to humans as mercury. (source) The slaves forced to mine the mercury ore frequently died as a result of their efforts. It's likely the same fate met those who ground the powder and mixed it with water to form the paints. (source)    

Danger & The Color Red

Perhaps because of this association with cinnabar, or perhaps just because of its jolting effect, the color red signifies danger. It's used as a color on warning signs. And of course, we also associate the color with STOP. It catches the eye and demands immediate attention and action. (source) It's also the color of fire, associated with fire trucks, firefighters, and also safety and rescue personnel. We stop at red traffic lights, pull over for red rescue lights, and steer clear of red firetrucks as firefighters put out red-hot fires.  

Blood of Christ & Kings

During the rise of Catholicism and Christianity, the color red became synonymous with the blood of Christ. As such, the highest leaders of the church wore red robes. Soon after, red became the color of kings, as well. (source) Today, red continues to catch the eye. Often used to convey power and status, it also warns us of danger. Its history is prehistoric, while its influence prevails to this day. ~Angela Magnotti Andrews