It was only after huge reserves of amethyst were found in South America in the 1800s that it became a more affordable gemstone. 12,000 sea snails created just enough dye to colour a small piece of material. In 2008 tyrian purple was recreated using the original formula. Thousands of snails were crushed to produce an ounce of dye. Known as purple dye murex or tyrian purple, it was named after the Phoenician city of Tyre, modern day Lebanon. In the 15th century BC it was produced from the mucous of the murex sea snail. Until 1856 the colour purple could only be produced from natural dyes hence was rarely seen. The paintings have been dated to 16,000 to 25,000 years BC. The dye used to create these was made from sticks of manganese and hematite powder. Paintings of animals and the outline of human hands have been found on cave walls in France. Traces of amethyst first appeared in the form of a dye during the Neolithic Age (10,000 BC). To the ancient Egyptians and Romans amethyst was rare, valuable and highly sought after. Purple stood for loyalty and dignity, white for purity and green for hope. Purple, white and green were the colours used by the suffragettes. Today it's also associated with magic, mystery and fantasy. Throughout history purple has been associated with religion, royalty and wealth. Only a small number of purple coloured minerals exist. Apart from in the plant kingdom purple is quite rare in nature. This short video explains why.Ĭolours have long been known to affect our mood, behaviour and even our emotions. Purple is therefore a perceived colour invented by our eyes and brain.Ī rainbow exhibits the full spectrum of colours yet never includes purple. It can only be produced by combining red and blue. The colour purple once known as magenta doesn't exist naturally. Their colour can however vary significantly. One of the world's oldest gemstones, amethyst is best known for its rich purple coloured crystals. These stones have deep saturation and no colour zoning.Īlthough amethyst in darker shades of purple is also popular, if too dark it can look almost black. The colour of the finest gem-grade amethyst is slightly reddish-purple. Amethyst Properties Facts and Photos Contents
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