MUREX ROCK SHELL. 97 



36; this enormous price is not to be won- 

 dered at, as only a single drop of the colouring 

 fluid is afforded by each animal. 



This beautiful and precious colour was held 

 in the highest estimation by the ancients, 

 and in some countries it was consecrated to 

 sacred purposes. Moses, under divine instruc- 

 tion, used purple stuffs for the furniture of the 

 tabernacle, and for the dress of the high priests. 



The Babylonians arrayed their idols in robes 

 of splendid purple ; and such indeed was the 

 practice of the Pagans in general, many of whom 

 superstitiously believed that this dye had a 

 peculiar virtue, and was capable of appeasing 

 the wrath of their pretended gods. 



Purple robes were also characteristic of regal 

 dignity, and by an imperial decree in Rome, 

 they were entirely restricted to the use of the 

 emperor, the penalty of death being inflicted on 

 any who dared to appear in habiliments of this 

 hue. The language of the day shews how ex- 

 clusively this colour is appropriated to the empe- 

 rors, for " to assume the purple," signified the 

 being elevated to the Imperial Throne. 



Several different accounts are given of the 

 discovery of this dye ; but they all seem to have 

 originated in the simple fact, that a dog having 

 broken one of the shells, stained his mouth with 

 the colour, which excited the attention of his 

 owner, and led to an examination of the cause. 



The vast heaps of fragments of shells found 

 about Tarentum, are supposed to be those from 

 H 



