THE ROYALTY OF PURPLE

The Phoenician people were the known first civilization to dye fabric purple. Their masterful use of marine snail exudates made purple the most valued color in the ancient world. Snail-dyed garments were reserved for royalty and spiritual leaders throughout the Mediterranean. Several hundred years ago the technique was lost to history.

Through years of research and experimentation, Tunisian artist and historian Ghassen Nouira has successfully rescued this ancient tradition from historic obscurity.  The HASAN field team will visit Tunis to document Ghassen’s process and help him to build a recreation of the snail dying facility that once stood on the shores of the ancient city of Carthage before its destruction in 146 BC.