Kermes sources

Oaks and especially Quercus coccifera are host plants for Kermes ilicis, producing the red kermes pigment. In Asia, the Laccifer lacca insects that grow on trees like Schleichera oleosa, Ziziphus mauritiana, and Butea monsperma are the sources of the red lac dye. - ... 

For thousands of years Man has made use of dried materials from plant or animal sources. In Chinese as well as European culture, these drugs were used - sometimes unaltered and sometimes as extracts - as remedies as well as for technical purposes. For example, kermes served both as a red dyestuff and as a drug for the treatment ofheart disease (Fig. 2.1). [1]... 

Insects provided another important source of red colours, Kermes, a mordant dye like alizarin, was the most important red dyestuff in Europe from antiquity. Reference to the dyeing of robes and tapestries may be found in the Old Testament. 

Kermococcus illicis L. (formerly Coccus illicis L.), which is found on the oak Quercus ilex L. in the Mediterranean region, is mentioned in the historical Hterature as a source of kermes however, it appears that it is not possible to derive a dyesmff from this insect (Schweppe, 1992) and Cardon (1990) posmlates that this may have been used as a substitution product, as she indicated that it produces a poor dye of hrown-red colour. 

The terms surrounding the various insect-based red colours have often been apphed indiscriminately, see cochineal and kermes. Common terms for lac-based colours include Lndian lake, this refering to the source of the insects (Harley, 1982). 

For a discussion on various lake pigments see the entries relevant to the dyestuff. Source brazilwood cochineal kermes madder rhamnus saffron. 

Makzetti ScrePA (2000) Marzetti, B. Scirpa, R L alterazione del nero d ossa nella pittura ad affresco studi delle font e sperimentazione tecnico-scientifica Deterioration of bone black in fresco painting study of the sources and experiments Kermes la rivista del restauro 13 37 (2000) 39- 5... 

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