Archaeologists uncover Iron Age hub for prized purple dye in Israel

For 500 Years, This Ancient Factory Made Purple Dye From Snail Mucus

And it was a stinky business.

Archaeologists uncover Iron Age hub for prized purple dye in Israel

A team of anthropologists, archaeologists and historical specialists affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. and Israel has found that there once existed a coastal settlement in what is now modern-day Israel that was the home to an industrial-scale production facility that made a purple dye once prized by many Iron Age Mediterranean societies.

Dyeing for royalty: Ancient tools reveal economic power behind biblical Israel

Each basin, reconstructed from fragments, stood about a meter high, held approximately 350 liters, and had a diameter of 60-80 centimeters – large enough to submerge full sheep fleeces. By Pesach Benson, TPS Archaeologists have uncovered the first physical evidence of tools used to produce scarlet dye at Tel Shikmona, shedding light on a highly organized, large-scale luxury industry that helped fuel the economic rise of the ancient Kingdom of Is…

How Israel produced luxury dye 3,000 years ago

A study conducted at the University of Haifa and published in the journal PLOS One presents direct evidence of tools used to produce the prestigious purple dye during the Iron Age, between 1100–600 BCE, partly corresponding to the First Temple period. The evidence includes large pottery basins stained with dye, grinding stones, and additional tools used in the process. The findings allow researchers to reconstruct the stages of dye production an…

Iron Age site was a purple dye factory for centuries

Beginning around 3000 years ago, Tel Shiqmona in modern-day Israel was a major centre for the production of Tyrian purple, a valuable commodity produced from marine snails

Ancient Tools Reveal Economic Power Behind Biblical Israel

Evidence of tools used to produce scarlet dye at coastal site of Tel Shikmona point to a production hub sophisticated enough to support regional trade, royal patronage, and even the First Temple in Jerusalem.