cochineal dye was used by the aztec and maya peoples of north and central america as early as the second century bc. eleven cities conquered by montezuma in the 15th century paid a yearly tribute of 2000 decorated cotton blankets and 40 bags of cochineal dye each. production of cochineal is depicted in "codex osuna". during the colonial period, the production of cochineal ("grana fina") grew rapidly. produced almost exclusively in oaxaca by indigenous producers, cochineal became mexico's second-most valued export after silver. soon after the spanish conquest of the aztec empire, it began to be exported to spain, and by the 17th century was a commodity traded as far away as india. the dyestuff was consumed throughout europe and was so highly prized, its price was regularly quoted on the london and amsterdam commodity exchanges (with the latter one beginning to record it in 1589). in 1777, french botanist nicolas-joseph thiéry de menonville, presenting himself as a botanizing physician, smuggled the insects and pads of the "opuntia" cactus to saint domingue. this particular collection failed to thrive and ultimately died out, leaving the mexican monopoly intact. after the mexican war of independence in 1810–1821, the mexican monopoly on cochineal came to an end. large-scale production of cochineal emerged, especially in guatemala and the canary islands; it was also cultivated in spain and north africa.