ANCIENT DYING. 



137 



From one of the Buccini a purple colour has been de- 

 rived, long esteemed of great value. According to 

 Pliny, the artists began by removing the vein contain- 

 ing it, and adding to one hundred pounds of this 

 substance twenty ounces of salt, the whole being al- 

 lowed to macerate for exactly three days. It was then 

 boiled in a leaden caldron until greatly reduced. A 

 moderate heat was then kept up by means of a long 

 stove, after which the flesh, which remained attached to 

 the veins, was skimmed off ; and the tincture being com- 

 pletely liquified on the tenth day, and afterwards strained, 

 the wool was plunged into it. They continued to keep 

 it warm until the desired hue had been obtained. A 

 lively red was less valued than a blackish one. 



The wool was left to steep for five hours, for after 

 being corded it was re-plunged into the bath, until it 

 had imbibed as much of the liquid as possible. The 

 buccinum was not employed by itself, because the dye 

 it produced would not hold, or rather, perhaps, because 

 it did not preserve the lively red ; but by mixing it with 

 the purpura, it gave to the too dark tint of the latter 

 the solidity and brilliancy of the scarlet, which was 

 greatly valued. " By this mixture," says Pliny, " that 

 superb colour is obtained which is named amethyst." 



" Another tint," he says, " is yet obtained by satu- 



