Tyrian Purple: New Ground-Breaking Insights in Archaeological Colorants

Explore ground-breaking discoveries and insights about Tyrian Purple in this comprehensive Royal Society of Chemistry lecture, where Professor Zvi Koren shares findings from over three decades of chemical analyses on archaeological colorants. Delve into fundamental questions about the historical significance, production methods, and scientific understanding of this prestigious ancient dye. Learn about the true origins of purple dye, evaluate the accuracy of Pliny's historical documentation of molluscan dyeing processes, and discover which specific Mediterranean sea-snail species were utilized in purple-dyeing. Understand the practical aspects of ancient purple dye production, including the number of mollusks required for royal garments, and examine the distinctions between biblical colors like red-purple (Argaman) and bluish-purple (Tekhelet). Gain expert knowledge about the revolutionary findings that challenge and enhance our understanding of this historically significant pigment.