Purple-Dye Industry Shell Waste Recycling in the Bronze Age Aegean?

Carannante, Alfredo

doi:10.2307/j.ctvh1dwt0.6

Cited by 3 publications

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“…In most cases, this early evidence is associated with the Minoans [ 29 – 32 ]. However, recent archaeomalacological analyses raised the possibility of a multiregional origin of the purple dyeing industry, including regions outside the Aegean [ 33 ]. Direct evidence to the use of shellfish purple was identified in the islands of Santorini and Rhodes, where purple pigments from murex snail were found in wall paintings dated to the 17th century BCE [ 34 , 35 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Common evidence of the purple-dye industry in archaeological sites are the heaps of murex shells, from which the dye-glands were removed [ 25 , 50 – 52 ]. Such heaps, however, may be evidence of other uses of the snails, including food, lime productions, ceramic temper material, decoration and more [ 14 , 33 , 53 , 54 ]. Their association with the dyeing industry is typically based on archaeological indicators such as industrial facilities, working surfaces, indicative tools and alike [ 55 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Large quantities of crushed shells with a hole in the area of the hypobranchial gland also suggest a deliberate cracking activity as part of the dyeing industry [ 53 ]. Still, in some cases crushed murex-shell deposits are difficult to interpret [ 33 ]. Some researchers propose a recycling hypothesis, according to which the waste from the purple-dye industry was used for other purposes [ 33 , 55 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Still, in some cases crushed murex-shell deposits are difficult to interpret [ 33 ]. Some researchers propose a recycling hypothesis, according to which the waste from the purple-dye industry was used for other purposes [ 33 , 55 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Early evidence of royal purple dyed textile from Timna Valley (Israel)

et al. 2021

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In the context of a broad study aimed at examining dyeing technologies in the Timna textiles collection, three samples of prestigious fibers dyed with murex sea snail were identified. Our identification is based on the presence of 6-monobromoindigotin and 6,6-dibromoindigotin components (detected using HPLC analysis), which is considered unequivocal evidence for the use of murex-derived purple dyestuff. Furthermore, by comparing the analytical results with those obtained in a series of controlled dyeing experiments we were able to shed more light on the specific species used in the dyeing process and glean insights into the ancient dyeing technology. The samples originated from excavations at the extensive Iron Age copper smelting site of “Slaves’ Hill” (Site 34), which is tightly dated by radiocarbon to the late 11th–early 10th centuries BCE. While evidence for the important role of purple dyes in the ancient Mediterranean goes back to the Middle Bronze Age (early 2nd millennium BCE), finds of dyed textiles are extremely rare, and those from Timna are the oldest currently known in the Southern Levant. In conjunction with other observations of the very high quality of the Timna textiles, this provides an exceptional opportunity to address questions related to social stratification and organization of the nomadic society operating the mines (early Edom), the “fashion” of elite in the region during the early Iron Age, trade connections, technological capabilities, and more.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%