‘Royal purple’ fabric scraps from King David era found at ancient copper mine in Israel
- It was the first time purple-dyed Iron Age textiles had been found in Israel or the Levant, the Israel Antiquities Authority said
- The colour purple was associated with royalty, nobility and priests and the dye ‘often cost more than gold’
Israeli researchers said they had found scraps of fabric coloured with a purple dye dating from the eras of King David and King Solomon in the south of the country.
“The researchers were surprised to find remnants of woven fabric, a tassel and fibres of wool dyed with royal purple,” the Israel Antiquities Authority, Tel Aviv University and Bar Ilan University said.
The discovery happened while they were examining coloured textiles from Timna Valley, an ancient copper production district, they said in a joint statement this week.
“Direct radiocarbon dating confirms that the finds date from approximately 1000 BCE, corresponding to the biblical monarchies of David and Solomon in Jerusalem,” they said.
It was the first time purple-dyed Iron Age textiles had been found in Israel or the Levant, they added.
The colour was associated with royalty, nobility and priests and the dye “often cost more than gold”, said Naama Sukenik, curator of organic finds at the Israel Antiquities Authority.