And this is in all places where it grows. It is important to remember Tyrian Purple or Mollusk Purple is a dye used from great antiquity. By combining both textual and archaeological evidence, it characterizes precisely what textile chromatograms can reveal: nuance, complication, and the spectrum of purple ancient Romans would have seen. As a professional Natural dyer for 50 years I have done a lot of research on the shellfish or. This article argues such claims are unfounded.

As a result, the vast majority of chemically analyzed murex-dyed textiles are published as evidence for the true-dye industry. Archaeochemical studies analyzing Roman murex-dyed textiles rarely pick up on this data limitation. Critical facts about manufacturing these dyes were not addressed: the specific ingredients, measures, and modes used for making dyes of either quality. The best-quality dyes are described as “true” purple (e.g., Tyrian), and these were juxtaposed with imitation dyes also sold. These accounts also highlight how dyes were marketed and received by consumers. These descriptions and recipes reveal what Romans preferred by way of ingredients, pigment extraction methods, and mixtures. Ancient writers left detailed accounts about the Roman-period murex dye market.

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