Storiascopio · Era 4 of 12 · primary year 4
Phoenician purple
about 1100 BC · Tyre and Sidon (now Lebanon)
In short
Purple was a reddish-violet dye made from small sea snails called murex. Dyeing a single cloak took thousands of shells, left to soak in large vats with a terrible smell. That is why purple cloth was extremely expensive and was worn by kings, nobles and priests. Perhaps the very name of the Phoenicians comes from the Greek word for that colour.
Why it matters Even today purple is the colour of luxury and power.
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Tyrian purple”
Where we are in the era “Sea civilisations”
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about 2000 BCEvent 11 of 25about 500 BC
Your turn
Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________
When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:
Tell it in your own words: what happened?
Draw the scene below.
storiascopio.com/en/event/phoenician-purple/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class