Exodus 25:5

Rams' skins dyed red - מאדמים אילם ערת oroth eylim meoddamim , literally, the skins of red rams. It is a fact attested by many respectable travelers, that in the Levant sheep are often to be met with that have red or violet-coloured fleeces. And almost all ancient writers speak of the same thing. Homer describes the rams of Polyphemus as having a violet-coloured fleece.

Αρσενες οΐες ησαν εΰτρεφεες, δασυμαλλοι,<-144 Καλοι τε, μεγαλοι τε, ιοδνεφες ειρος εχοντες .

Odyss., lib. ix., ver. 425.