Hexaplex trunculus, the banded dye-murex, via inaturalist.nzĪnother factor in the variation of Tyrian purple color is the minor differences in the process of extracting the dye. A blue dye color known as tekhelet also traditionally comes from this species, and was an important color for dyeing tzitzit (fringes/tassels) on tallits (prayer shawls) used in Jewish religious practice. The banded dye-murex is found today in the western Mediterranean and was used by Phoenician colonies there to create an indigo-colored dye. Various other similar sea snails are also used, but dye production from them is less common and a more recent development as opposed to the traditional murex dye production which dates back to roughly 4,000 years ago.Įach species generates a mucus from which the dye is extracted, and each species yields a variation in color. The dye is found in the hydrobranchial gland of a number of predatory sea snails such as the spiny dye-murex ( Bolinus brandaris), the banded dye-murex ( Hexaplex trunculus) and the red-mouthed rock shell ( Stramonita haemostoma). Relics of their dye production have been found around the Mediterranean Sea and as far west as Cádiz, Spain.The Biological Source Bolinus brandaris, the spiny dye-murex, via Odyssey Traveller Then they placed the mass in a covered vat and simmered it with seawater for several more days.įor hundreds of years, through their commerce and colonizing, the Phoenicians maintained both the market for Tyrian purple and their capacity to produce it. Dye makers combined these with salt and exposed the mixture to the open air and the sun for three days. Next, these marine snails were removed from their shells so that their dye glands could be extracted. As many as 12,000 were used to produce the dye for a single garment. First, fishers collected murex shellfish * from the sea in large numbers.

Tyrian purple was the most precious dye of its time, in large part because of the labor required to produce it. King Solomon of ancient Israel furnished his temple with “purple wool” produced by an artisan from Tyre.- 2 Chronicles 2:13, 14. Phoenicia, which roughly corresponded to modern-day Lebanon, was noted for its Tyrian purple dye, named after the city of Tyre.

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