A role yet to be unveiled: Balkan crimson in trade between Dubrovnik and Florence

Abstract: This paper discusses the Balkan trade in crimson pigment used for dyeing textiles—a topic that has been partially overlooked or, in some cases, only marginally addressed in previous studies. One section of the study outlines the dye’s production process, identifies the geographical origin of the source insects, describes the textile dyeing technique, and analyzes the advantages of crimson pigment over more affordable alternatives. Previously proposed hypotheses suggest the existence of a specific ecological niche—or a variant of the insect—potentially endemic to the banks of the Sava River west of Belgrade, from which the pigment may also have been obtained. Building on these premises, the paper critically examines the role of Balkan trade in the distribution and commerce of this dye. By tracing procurement records in the account books of two prominent Florentine trading companies, Cambini and Salviati, the study partially reconstructs the crimson pigment trade from the Balkans, which was facilitated through Dubrovnik by both Ragusan and Italian merchants.