Israeli archaeologists find 'Biblical royal purple dye'

[Wicked Blue]

A purple dye dating back to the purported reign of the Biblical King David has been identified on a piece of fabric by Israeli archaeologists.

The dye is said to have been more valuable than gold and was associated with royalty.

It is the first time textile from that period with the colour has been found in the region.

***

The fragment was unearthed during excavations at a site in Timna, about 220km (137 miles) south of Jerusalem.
Excavation at Timna.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55815820

[soothsayer]

1. The romans made theirs from the murex sea snail

One snail gave one drop of dye. Thus: pricey.

You could find the snails by observing people we who lived near the ocean. If they had purple-stained mouths, the snails were there.

They’d dry the snails in the sun on huge racks — downwind.

[BrightKnight]

2. I believe that the same snails were part of the ancient temple incense recipe.

https://theconversation.com/modern-science-tackles-a-biblical-secret-the-mystery-ingredient-in-holy-incense-88876

[soothsayer]

3. Awesome factoid! I'll try to work it into my spiel

Ty

[BrightKnight]

5. IDK about your spiel but I believe ancient Semitic-speaking Phoenicia used Tyrian before the Romans.

Reading about it and actually seeing it are two different things.

Actually being able to smell ancient incense that were reverse engineered using tools like nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is equally impressive.

[Wicked Blue]

4. Those may be the same molluscs referred to in the article nt