Man and Mollusks 13 



ancients. They understood it as several colors ranging from dull crimson 

 and magenta to violet-purple. The most expensively dyed cloth was made 

 in Tyre and was more on the order of a dull red. In Sidon, where Miirex 

 trunculiis was mainly used, the color was closer to our modern idea of purple. 

 The wide range in hues of Tyrian purple was brought about by different 

 strengths of, and varied techniques in making, the dye, including the double- 

 dip system of dibapha in which the first bath consisted of extracts from Thais 

 and the second dip taking place in Murex dye. The type of cloth and weave 

 also produced wide variations. 



There is no question that cloth dyed with Tyrian purple was extremely 

 valuable and at times vied in value even with gold. Hence it was reserved 

 for the use of the wealthy and the hangings of temples. The Babylonians are 

 said to have used it for the dress of their idols. A few of our museums pos- 

 sess small pieces of Egyptian mummy wrappings which were dyed with 

 Tyrian purple. However, it is necessary to make a chemical analysis to prove 

 the presence of this dye, for the ancients were able to produce a similar color 

 by double dyeing with indigo and madder. 



The Bible makes several references to this valuable purple. Moses used it 

 for the works of the tabernacle, as well as for the clothing of the high priest. 

 Among the presents which the Israelites made to Gideon were purple rai- 

 ments that belonged to the kings of Midian. Much later, according to Acts 

 1 6, verse 14, a seller of purple from Thyatira was converted by St. Paul at 

 Phihppi. 



Aristotle and Pliny both gave fairly detailed accounts of the industry 

 widespread throughout Asia A4inor. Plutarch records that when Alexander 

 took possession of Susa he found among the treasures of Darius 5000 talents 

 in weight (290,000 pounds) of purple cloth. Athenaeus states that the dye 

 was extensively used as a cosmetic and was applied as a lipstick and rouge 

 in Rome. At the fateful battle of Actium, the ship of Marcus Antonius and 

 Cleopatra was distinguished from the rest of the fleet by having sails solidly 

 dyed in Tyrian purple. It is difficult to believe, as many authorities claim, 

 that the Tyrians kept the process a secret even for a short time, for we find 

 that factories existed throughout most areas in the Mediterranean. 



In Rome only senators were allowed to wear a broad purple stripe (latus 

 clavus) around the opening of the tunic. Laws were finally introduced by 

 Nero and again by Theodosius (379-395 A.D.) prohibiting the wearing of 

 Tyrian purple except by the Emperor himself. Except for its later use by 

 the Christian church, especially in cardinal cloaks, the crimson color ceased 

 to be worn or manufactured after the fall of the Roman Empire and the con- 

 quest of Tyre by the Arabs in 638 A.D. It would scarcely pay to revive the 

 industry except perhaps as a novelty item for tourists. The color is not par- 

 ticularly exciting to the modern eye, and, in addition, it may be synthetically 



