Mohamed Ghassen Nouira, a man from Tunisia, has uncovered the local secret to ancient emperors. He discovered how to make the prized purple dye using the guts of a sea snail.
According to him, he was not sure where to begin when he decided to start his project. He would crush the marine animal's shell and study how the sea snails release such precious color.
After years of experimenting and getting used to the foul smell, he finally uncovered the secret that disappeared hundreds of years ago. He carefully pounds the hammer and stone mortar and breaks open the spiny murex shells.
Purple was traditionally used for royal and imperial robes. It is a symbol of power and prestige back then. Ali Drine, head of the research division of the National Heritage of Tunisia, said that production of the purple dye was among the primary sources of wealth for the ancient Phoenicians, Carthaginian, and Roman Empire.
The emperors controlled productions because of its high value. Nouira started experimenting with the sea snails upon seeing one releasing a purplish red color in August 2007.
Secret recipe in making the purple dye
According to Nouira, he was encouraged by many experts in dyeing, archaeology, history, and chemistry to uncover the secret recipe of ancient purple dye. However, there are no historical documents that detail the production methods of the dye.
"Maybe because the artisans did not want to divulge the secrets of their know-how, or they were afraid to because the production of purple was directly associated with the emperors, who tolerated no rivalry," Nouira said.
The only clues he could get lie in the archaeological sites and artifacts in the Mediterranean, specifically in Tyre, Lebanon, and Meninx on Djerba Island, Tunisia. Although this was an ancient technique, the purple pigment is still highly valued today and is produced by just a handful of people worldwide.
Nouira's team included a German painter and Japanese enthusiast who tried to uncover the secret recipe with their techniques. Nouira said that the dye could cost $2,800 to $4,000 per gram from some European traders.
He said that he already made a couple of dozen grams that he sells internationally at a more modest price.
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Not a Cooking Recipe to be Passed Around
During his search, he sought help from dye makers who told him that the purple dye recipe is not a cooking recipe to be passed around. Hearing that, he became more determined to find it and doubled his efforts.
Since 2009, he stocks up his first samples and carefully guard them. He calls it the memento of his early success.
"I improved my methods until I found the right technique and mastered it from 2013-2014," he said.
He said that he had to carefully break 100 kilograms of murex, which took him two weeks to accomplish. He then washes the shells and sorts them by species and size before carefully breaking the upper part to extract the glands that produce the purple color.
Nouira wished to see his work exhibited in Tunisian museums because he believes that it has great tourist potential. In the meantime, he intends to guard his trade secrets and hope to pass them on to his children.
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