8 JACKSON, Distribution of the Shell-Purple Industry. 



explained by Besnier by the resemblance of the purple to 

 the colour of blood, the principle of life. 16 



But this explanation is not convincing. The mere 

 price of the purple made the use of it a privilege of kings 

 and priests. 



By the Greeks and Romans purple was regarded as 

 the peculiar insignia of royalty or of official distinction, 

 such as magistrates, military officials, priests, etc. It also 

 played an important role in certain of their legends. 



Its use was forbidden to the common people, and laws 

 were made inflicting severe penalties, and even death itself, 

 upon all who should presume to wear it under the dignity 

 of an emperor. 



Though the Tynan purple served principally as a dye 

 for cloth, generally of wool, but sometimes of silk, it was 

 also employed as a paint for the parchments of precious 

 books written in letters of gold, and as a colour for inks. 17 

 It had a prominent place also among the toilet requisites 

 of the Romans and was applied in place of rouge to the 

 cheeks and lips. 18 



Attention might also be called here to the use of the 

 purple on the sails of vessels in the earliest times. These 

 sails were of rich colours, with floral and other designs, 

 and were in early use in Egypt, and seem to have been 

 bought by the Tyrians. 19 The hem or border of these sails 

 was coloured according to the rank or station of the owner. 

 It is mentioned by Atticus that the sails of the large ship 

 of Ptolemy Philopater were of fine linen, ornamented with 

 a purple border. And we find the ship of Antony and 



10 Besnier, op. cit., p. 777. 



17 Ibid. p. 778. 



18 Athenreus, xiii., ch. 8, p. 604. See also Besnier, op. cit., p. 778, for 

 other references. 



19 Ezekiel, 27, 7 . . . " Fine linen, with embroidered work from Egypt, 

 was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sails." 



