Purple was a symbol of wealth and the color of royalty in classical Rome. Furthermore, even if purple is flamboyant and attractive, its cost was more significant at the time. Tyrian purple dye was derived from snails,, and Tyrian purple was pricey. Lead archaeologist Frank Giecco stated that this was the first time Tyrian purple was found in the UK, which was the rarest man-made color. The valuable pigment had been found in the United Kingdom and the find was of “international significance.“
Lead archaeologist Frank Giecco claimed that the pigment, which was used to color the garments of members of the imperial court and the “highest echelons” of society, was more valuable than gold. According to him, fewer than two grams of pigment could be obtained by using roughly 12,000 of the sea snail glands used in its production. “It would have taken a lot of time to gather the snails and process the glands,” Giecco stated. This would explain why the cost was so high.
This history of the Tyrian purple that was Found in the UK
In the last three years, 2,000 objects including pottery, weaponry, coins, and semi-precious stones have been uncovered at the site in the UK, including the discovery of a Roman bathhouse in 2017.
Carlisle Cricket Club The home of this site is where a piece of Tyrian purple was unearthed as a part of annual excavations that continue to this day. Although, a rough ping-pong ball-sized piece: this is what was used in ancient Greek and Roman wall paintings. For those who could afford it, this color was also used as a dye in textiles. Ironically this rare and expensive dye was created by an accident. The purple driven by snails lasted until chemists discovered how to create artificial colors. This unexpected accident included William Henry Perkin, a young chemist.
The British Empire was encroaching on Africa in the 1850s. Malaria, however, was thwarting the Empire’s attempts at colonization. Quinine, a substance found in the bark of cinchona trees, has recently been discovered by scientists to be effective in treating malaria. However, since cinchona trees are primarily found in South America, scientists were looking for a more effective way to obtain the medication. William Perkin, a young chemist who enrolled in the Royal College of Chemistry at the age of 15, now, 1856, was, 18-year-old. Perkin was attempting to create quinine in a laboratory.
The Independent claims that despite several setbacks, “Perkin produced little more than a black, sticky mess.” However, when his gunk attempted to dissolve in alcohol, a dark purple liquid was revealed. The first synthetic dye was called Perkin’s purple, sometimes referred to as aniline purple or mauveine. Purple’s privileged status was altered by the synthesis, which most likely spared many snails’ lives.
The Archaeologists
Due to this experiment, and in collaboration with the British Geological Society, Tyrian Purple was found in the UK, being the rarest man-made color ever. Now, Archaeologists working in England rediscovered this amazing Tyrian purple dye calling it a “mysterious lump” of a purple substance when first found. To test the material, the researchers collaborated with the British Geological Society according to the announcement. Additional, investigation by experts from Newcastle University revealed that it is an organic pigment with beeswax and bromine levels.
Because of those elements, scientists were able to identify the substance as “Tyrian Purple,” a color that the Roman Empire. This color is associated with its imperial court in addition to being extremely expensive and rare. Based on thousands of crushed seashells from Morocco, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. The pigment was “phenomenally difficult” to develop and expensive to produce, making it more valuable than gold at the time. Researchers believe that the structure under excavation was connected to the court as a result of the material’s finding. It’s possible that Septimius Severus, the Roman emperor at the time, paid Carlisle a visit. Frank Giecco, technical director and the lead in the dig, described it as a “incredibly rare” find, particularly in Europe.
“It’s the only example we know of in Northern Europe. It is possibly it’s only example of a solid sample of Tyrian purple, anywhere in the Roman Empire,” Giecco side. “Examples have been found of it in wall paintings (like in Pompeii) and some high status painted coffins from the Roman province of Egypt.”
By Jada Dunkentell
Sources:
Wardell: Uncovering Roman Carlisle – A Community Archaeological Investigation– By Frank Giecco
BBC: Roman snail dye found in UK for first time- By Ben Maeder & Jonathan Swingler,
CBS: “Incredibly rare” ancient purple dye that was once worth more than gold found in U.K.-By
Smith Sonianma: In Ancient Rome, Purple Dye Was Made from Snails- By Colin Schultz
Featured Image by Rob Stewart, NIWA Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
Image Courtesy of James St. John‘s Flickr page- Creative Commons License
