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March 26, 2024

A Factory for Producing Tyrian Purple Discovered on the Israeli Coast

A joint venture for one of the ancient world’s most prized commodities.

Along with the blue dye t’khelet, the Hebrew Bible makes frequent mention of a purple hue called argaman that was similarly derived from the murex snail and used in the making of the priestly vestments and sacred items. This pigment was also used as a marker of status by the ancient Romans, who referred to it as “Tyrian purple” after the Phoenician city in what is now Lebanon. Franz Lidz reports on a recent discovery that sheds light on its production:

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March 26, 2024

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