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(Redirected from Murex trunculus)
'''Hexaplex trunculus''' (also known as ''Murex trunculus'' or banded dye-murex) is a marine snail, whose hypobranchial gland secretes a mucus that the ancient Canaanites/Phoenicians used as a distinctive 'purple-blue' indigo dye. One of the dye's main chemical ingredients is indigotin, but if left in the sun for a few minutes before becoming fast, its color turns to a 'blue' indigo (like blue jeans).
''H. trunculus'' has a broadly conical shell about 4 to 10 cm long. It occurs in shallow, sublittoral waters of the Mediterranean and the bordering west Atlantic Ocean. It has a rather high spire with seven angulated whorls. The shell is variable in sculpture and coloring with dark banding, and gives four varieties. The ribs may develop thickenings or spines and give the shell a rough appearance.
'Synonyms' : ''Murex trunculus'', L. 1758; ''Phyllanotus trunculus'', ''Truncullariopsis trunculus'' L., 1758.
The ancient method for mass-producing the 'purple-blue' dye from ''H. trunculus'' has not yet been successfully reproduced (because the purplish hue degrades too quickly resulting in blue only), but the use of this species has been confirmed in the archeology of Phoenicia, where large quantities of this sea snail's shells have been recovered from inside ancient live storage chambers used for harvesting. Allegedly, 60,000 murex were needed to produce one pound of dye. The dye was highly prized in ancient times. Sometimes known as ''royal blue'', it was prohibitively expensive and only afforded by the highest ranking aristocracy.
A similar dye, ''Tyrian purple'', which is 'purple-red' in color, was made from a related species of marine snail, ''Murex brandaris''. This dye (alternatively known as ''imperial purple'', see purple) was also prohibitively expensive.
The Hebrew Bible mentions a specific 'blue' dye, called tekhelet ( //) for use in tzitzit, the formal tassels or fringes of clothing, which some believe refers to the indigo dye from the ''Hexaplex trunculus'' when kept in the sun.
Similarly, the Hebrew Bible also mentions a specific 'purple' dye, called argaman ( //), which refers to the purple color this same dye produces when kept in the shade.
Finally, the Hebrew Bible mentions a 'red' dye, called shani, which refers to the red dye produced in the same manner from the ''Murex brandaris''.
Those modern Jews who still wear the traditional tzitzit consider the attribution of the word "tekhelet" to the particular dye uncertain, and so omit the blue threads altogether, to avoid mistakenly using a non-proscribed dye. Modern tzitzit tassels are all-white.
'''Hexaplex trunculus''' (also known as ''Murex trunculus'' or banded dye-murex) is a marine snail, whose hypobranchial gland secretes a mucus that the ancient Canaanites/Phoenicians used as a distinctive 'purple-blue' indigo dye. One of the dye's main chemical ingredients is indigotin, but if left in the sun for a few minutes before becoming fast, its color turns to a 'blue' indigo (like blue jeans).
| Contents |
| Animal |
| Ancient use of dye |
| Jewish use of dye |
Animal
''H. trunculus'' has a broadly conical shell about 4 to 10 cm long. It occurs in shallow, sublittoral waters of the Mediterranean and the bordering west Atlantic Ocean. It has a rather high spire with seven angulated whorls. The shell is variable in sculpture and coloring with dark banding, and gives four varieties. The ribs may develop thickenings or spines and give the shell a rough appearance.
'Synonyms' : ''Murex trunculus'', L. 1758; ''Phyllanotus trunculus'', ''Truncullariopsis trunculus'' L., 1758.
Ancient use of dye
The ancient method for mass-producing the 'purple-blue' dye from ''H. trunculus'' has not yet been successfully reproduced (because the purplish hue degrades too quickly resulting in blue only), but the use of this species has been confirmed in the archeology of Phoenicia, where large quantities of this sea snail's shells have been recovered from inside ancient live storage chambers used for harvesting. Allegedly, 60,000 murex were needed to produce one pound of dye. The dye was highly prized in ancient times. Sometimes known as ''royal blue'', it was prohibitively expensive and only afforded by the highest ranking aristocracy.
A similar dye, ''Tyrian purple'', which is 'purple-red' in color, was made from a related species of marine snail, ''Murex brandaris''. This dye (alternatively known as ''imperial purple'', see purple) was also prohibitively expensive.
Jewish use of dye
Some wool dipped in tekhelet solution, from the ''Murex trunculus'', turning blue in the sunlight outside P'til Tekhelet in Israel.
The Hebrew Bible mentions a specific 'blue' dye, called tekhelet ( //) for use in tzitzit, the formal tassels or fringes of clothing, which some believe refers to the indigo dye from the ''Hexaplex trunculus'' when kept in the sun.
Similarly, the Hebrew Bible also mentions a specific 'purple' dye, called argaman ( //), which refers to the purple color this same dye produces when kept in the shade.
Finally, the Hebrew Bible mentions a 'red' dye, called shani, which refers to the red dye produced in the same manner from the ''Murex brandaris''.
Those modern Jews who still wear the traditional tzitzit consider the attribution of the word "tekhelet" to the particular dye uncertain, and so omit the blue threads altogether, to avoid mistakenly using a non-proscribed dye. Modern tzitzit tassels are all-white.
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