Abstract
Shellfish purple, also known as Tyrian purple and royal purple, has a long history, which has been revealed and documented in recent years through valid physicochemical studies using sophisticated techniques. The aim of the work was to summarize the conclusions of these studies and to describe the results of two unpublished investigations regarding the (i) identification of shellfish purple in a textile (4th century BCE) from ancient Macedonia and (ii) dramatic effect of the dyeing conditions on the composition of the purple dye. Moreover, a critical discussion is included about the discovery of the shellfish pigment and dye based on the available scientific evidence. Previously published reports describing the identification of the shellfish colorant in objects of the cultural heritage were carefully summarized. Shellfish purple was not used only as colorant, but it served other purposes as emphasized in this review. In particular, examples for the use of shellfish purple in medicine, grave goods and fillers and plasters in walls, were described. Examples of materials and methods that were used in the past to produce “fake” purple, imitating the aesthetic result of the valuable royal marine material were summarized. Finally, the solubility of indigoids was discussed using modern approaches of physical chemistry.
Highlights
Identification of the materials of cultural heritage objects is important to develop and apply effective conservation strategies, which ensure the preservation of the valuable historical and archaeological objects
The goal of this review is to summarize the current state of the art provided by the Natural Sciences for the shellfish purple in archaeology
The results reported in the literature do not suggest a widespread use of shellfish purple in historical manuscripts
Summary
Identification of the materials of cultural heritage objects is important to develop and apply effective conservation strategies, which ensure the preservation of the valuable historical and archaeological objects. The characterization and identification of cultural heritage materials leads to useful insights regarding the technological skills of civilizations and reveals economic, social and historic aspects [2]. For these reasons the application of physicochemical methods and instruments to archaeological research has increased substantially over the last half-century and today represents a major methodological subfield within archaeological science [3]. Icons have been used for centuries by the Orthodox Church as a window to communicate with the unseen divine reality whereas the Pioneer plaques are pictorial messages for potential extraterrestrial life Organic materials such as textiles and their colorants (dyes) are sensitive to degradation effects developed through ageing. The solubility of indigoids is discussed using modern approaches of physical chemistry
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