Purple Insight: Tyrian Purple

Known by a number of variants such as Royal Purple and Imperial Purple, Tyrian Purple remains the most expensive paint since the beginning of time. This paint has enticed historians and artists for generations together with its vibrant history.

Mentioned in texts dated about 1600 BC, Tyrian Purple originated in the ancient city of Trye of the Ancient Phoenician civilization along the Mediterranean coastline. Named after its site of origin, it is aptly called Tyrian Purple. The oldest archaeological evidence was found during excavations in the island of Santorini, Greece, which revealed wall paintings; that on analysis suggested that an organic dye similar to the organic composition of Tyrian Purple was used almost 3600 years ago.

Tyrian Purple is made from a Mediterranean sea mollusk. The hypochondrial glands of this mollusk called Murex Brandaris and Murex Trunculus, produced a pale white or yellow discharge that turns blue and consequently purple when exposed to sunlight.

Sea mollusk Murex.

'Pliny The Elder', a Roman historian described the production of this paint in his Natural History. First, vats were lowered into the sea to catch these sea snails using frog and mussels as bait. Second, the vein containing the discharge was severed and the liquid was collected and salted in in huge vats. This was then fermented for about 10 days after a steady boil. Finally, the dye produced was harvested. The fermentation process produces a sick, unbearable odour due to the breakdown of the organic substances. It was believed that 12,000 of these sea snails were required to make a mere 1.4 grams of this paint.

Historian Theopompus said "Purple for dyes fetched its weight in silver." Emperors of Byzantium formulated laws that restricted the use of clothes that were dyed with Tyrian Purple to royalty and anyone who transgressed was punished with death. As a result, purple clothes made from this dye became a status symbol and were worn only by noblemen and kings, marking it the colour of supremacy. This gave birth to the expression "Born in the purple." Research also suggests that usage of this paint was present even during the time of Caesar and Cleopatra.

A Roman painting of Pompeii showing women clad in clothes dyed with Tyrian Purple.

As time progressed, the exact process and formation of this exquisite dye was lost. The advent of cheaper synthetic dyes such as Lichen Purple and Madder in the 1800s marked its decline as well. Contradicting popular premises, the use of this paint declined with the fall of the Roman Empire and not due to overfishing. However, in 1909, Paul Friedlander was able to discover the chemical structure of this dye. Inge Boesken Kanold, French artist with special interest in ancient and forgotten colours, along with retired engineer John Edmonds rediscovered a structurally similar dye in 2003. Inge Kanold comments "My fascination with purple has to do with the mystery of its past, with its provident transformation entirely linked to air and sunlight....."

An unusual aspect of this paint is that it is blue in solution and purple in amorphous form. Unlike normal paint which fades when exposed to sunlight, Tyrian Purple becomes darker. This paint comes in a vibrant shade of purple- as the name suggests- but some texts also describe it as 'scarlet' or 'maroon'.

Tyrian Purple in amorphous form.

 John Edmonds says "...This is the most prestigious dye in the world in fact...." and not unlike its past, this continues to be highly expensive- a mere 1 gram is valued at 3900 US dollars and that would roughly equate to 2,13,000 Indian rupees. Owing to its exorbitant price, natural Tyrian Purple is used only to restore art work. These days, an alternative form of this paint is synthesized from sea slugs that also produce a purple discharge. This discharge is harvested without causing harm to the animal, which is then released into the ocean.

Alternative form of sea slug that also produces a purple discharge.

Murex, the sea snail from which this paint is produced from, is pretty hard to come by but, it is not completely impossible to chance upon one if you were to scuba dive along the Mediterranean and Atlantic Coast of Europe and Africa!