A pigment for Kings

Image of snails, Courtesy from Google

In the 16th century BCE, Phoenicians in Tyre (Súr), Lebanon, discovered and began manufacturing the gorgeous Tyrian Purple, also known as Imperial Purple. This exquisite pigment wasn't made from precious stones, metals, or plants; it was produced from predatory sea snails, specifically rock snails. By squeezing the gland of the murex snail to extract a creamy liquid, the color would turn red and then purple once exposed to the sun.

What's truly remarkable about this historic pigment is the need to harvest 10,000 mollusks to create just one gram of it. The manufacturing process was guarded secret, making it incredibly expensive. During the Roman Empire, only the Emperor was permitted to wear this color, with penalties for anyone else who dared to do so.

The price of one pound of Tyrian Purple was equivalent to three pounds of gold. Even today, the production of this pigment follows ancient methods, but the complexities and difficulties of extracting such a large number of snails place this industry at risk of extinction. Tyrian Purple remains one of the rarest and most expensive pigments of all time.

Note: Part of my practice is to learn about ancient pigments and techniques, including their discovery, mixing, and painting with them. The development of this industry through the centuries has had a significant impact on shaping the history of this marvelous medium, contributing to the survival of our cultural heritage in pictorial form until today.