Red is supposedly the first color percieved
by Man. Brain-injured persons suffering from temporary
color-blindness start to perceive red before they are able to
discern any other colors. Neolithic hunter peoples considered
red to be the most important color endowed with life-giving
powers and thus placed red ochre into graves of their
deceased. This explains funds of skeletons embedded in up to
10 kg of red powdered ochre. Neolithic cave painters ascribed
magic powers to the color red. The word "magic" ("Zauber" in
German) translates to "taufr" in Old Norse and is related to
the Anglo-Saxon "teafor" meaning "red ochre". It can be
stipulated that they painted animals in red ochre or iron
oxide to conjure their fertility.
Protective powers of the color red against
evil influence were common belief. Objects, animals and trees were
covered in red paint, warriors painted their axes and
spear-catapults red to endow the weapons with magic powers. Some of
the Australian aborigines abide by this custom up to the present
times. Neolithic hunters and germanic warriors used to paint their
weapons and even themselves in blood of slain animals. Roman
gladiators drank blood of their dying adversaries to take over
their strength. In other cultures, the newly born were bathed in
blood of particularly strong and good looking animals.Red painted
amulettes or red gems, such as ruby or garnet, were used as charms
against the "evil eye". Wearing a red ruby was supposed to bring
about invincibility. Red bed-clothes were customary in Germany up
to the Middle Ages as protection against the "red illnesses", such
as fever, rashes or even miscarriages, afamous example is the
painting Arnolfini Wedding by Jan Van Eyck, dated 1434.
Red garlands and red scarfs were part of
wedding customs in many cultures. Red wedding gown was en vogue in
Nurnberg of the 18th century, but this tradition goes back to roman
times: Roman brides were wrapped in a fiery red veil, the flammeum,
which should warrant love and fertility. Greek, Albanian and
Armenian brides wear red veils even today. Chinese brides are
wearing red wedding gowns and are carried to the ceremony in a red
litter. The bride walks on a red carpet and is greeted by the groom
who lifts her red veil. Neighbours bring red eggs to the couple
after a child is born.
A red rose is the symbol of love and fidelity.
According to the Greek legend red roses arised from blood of Adonis
who was killed by a wild boar on a hunt. In Greek mythology red
rose was a symbol for the cycle of growth and decay, but also for
love and affinity. Red rose is dedicated to Aphrodite, the Greek
goddess of love and daughter of Zeus and also to Roman goddess
Venus. In Christianity the red rose is associated with the Cross
and the bloodshed.
There are also negative connotations of this
color. Israelites in biblical times painted their doorframes in red
blood to scare demons. Red in ancient Egypt was the color of the
desert and of the destructive god Seth who inpersonated the Evil.
"Making red" was synonymous with killing someone, evil doings were
refered to as "red affairs". Salvation from Evil is the subject of
an ancient Egyptian charm: "Oh, Isis, deliver me from the hands of
all bad, evil, red things!" Writers of Egyptian papyri used a
special red ink for nasty words.
