This is done by combining zooarchaoelogical, written and ethnographic evidence, in order to achieve a multiple approach to the first steps of purple dye production. This paper focuses on the fishing methods employed for the exploitation of the Muricidae shellfish for the production of purple dye in Greece from Classical times to the Roman period. I wonder if they have wifi.Ancient Greek and Roman written sources describe in detail the economic and symbolic value of purple color, but are virtually silent on the primary producers of the dye, the fishermen. On my last visit in 2002 I noticed a sign announcing the opening of the Murex cafe.

The citizens of the island city of Tyre remember the history of their city. (Bikai in Martha Sharp Joukowsky, ed., The Heritage of Tyre, 68) Melkart then dyed a robe with it and gave it to Tyros. The dog, playing with a large Murex, bit into it and it stained his mouth purple. Royal Purple had an enormous value, worth as much as 10 to 20 times its weight in gold (Born 106-11, 124-128).Īccording to legend, Royal Purple was discovered by Melkart (Hercules), the city-god and king of Tyre, when he and the nymph Tyros were walking along the Phoenician shore with their dog. Bikai writes about the value of Royal Purple and the legend about the discovery of it. Different tints were achieved by varying the amounts of extract from different species. Up to 60,000 snails were needed for a pound of dye. Processing required slow simmering for almost two weeks. Each snail yielded only a drop of yellow liquid which darkened to purple on exposure to light. The prized purple dye, for which the Phoenicians were renowned, came from a gland of the murex snail. If a reader knows otherwise, please leave a comment. I think the shells above are Murex trunculus. A display in the British Museum mentions Purpura haemastoma, Murex trunculus, and Murex brandaris. There are different species of the Murex.

Download phoenician murex shell