The Orchilla-Natural Dyes-Historical Canarian Products

Since ancient times, Lanzarote and the Canary Islands have generally been the place where half of Europe has been supplied with various plants to bring them to their kingdoms and countries. The orchilla (Roccella canariensis) is a lichen, a type of plant that was used as a dye for fine substances. 13 Different species exist in the Canary Islands and grow on the coastal cliffs or in gorges. A dye is obtained from the orchilla that Coloring in purple was used. Already in the time of the Phoenicians, Lanzarote and Fuertevenura were visited by the Phoenicians to supply themselves with the orchilla, wood, dredged blood, amber and shells. What was the precious orchilla for? There was a time when the color purple was associated with an exclusive and powerful society that was distinguished by the use of this color purple. Already in recent history, with the conquest of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and El Hierro by Jean de Bethencourt in 1402, the Orchilla was again of vital importance and he established a land division and reserved it for the collection and sale of Orchilla, Stories and writings that are reflected in his writing “Le Canarien”. Bethencourt mainly sold the orchilla, which was used to dye chairs, curtains or duvets in his European palaces, to Florence. Violet fever During this time, production and harvest spread to other islands of Macaronesia, although the Canary Islands were the most popular, and wherever this lichen was found, rocky terrain was exploited, such as the cliffs of Famara, Lanzarote, today Punta Orchilla, ( external link) on the island of El Hierro, the steep cliffs of Los Silos in Tenerife or when building long walls for production like in La Pared on the south coast of Fuerteventura. Undoubtedly there was a time of slavery when the Canaries risked their lives on the cliffs of the Canary Islands (external link) to sell the highly valued violet flower.