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Tyrian Purple
(redirected from Tyrian dye)

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Tyrian Purple 

a natural dye of a reddish purple color. Ty-rian purple is obtained from glands of marine gastropod mollusks known as purple snails. It may be chemically derived from natural indigo (6,6’-dibromindigo). The use of Tyrian purple for dyeing dates back to 1600 B.C. Its discovery is attributed to the Phoenicians, and its use was mentioned in ancient Egyptian papyruses, in the writings of Pliny the Elder, and in other sources. Tyrian purple was extracted from the gastropod Murex brandaris echinus. In ancient Rome the wearing of purple garments was a mark of high office.
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The best botanical guess as to the actual variety of flower that was growing within gestural distance of Christ's sermon on a Holy Land hillside in spring is the crown anemone: its range of scarlet through purple with blue-black anthers is very like the Tyrian dyes extracted from the murex shellfish secretion that would have tinted the robes in which Solomon was arrayed in all his glory.
To dye for by guardian.co.uk / guardian.co.uk
 
 
 
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