Strange purple dye 'more expensive than gold' from sea snails

A Tunisian history enthusiast has tried to recreate the dye from sea snails that was once only used by members of the ancient royal family, the elite.

Mouhamad Ghassen Nouira works hard in his garden turning sea snails into purple dye.

The selling price of one gram of Tyrian purple dye costs about $2,500.

The man used classical techniques developed by the Phoenicians to produce a dye called Tyrian purple.

The selling price of one gram of Tyrian purple dye costs about $2,500, equivalent to more than 56 million VND.

The color created from this recipe was so expensive that even in ancient times, the Romans restricted its use, only the royals and the elite were used. These were the people with the purple-rimmed robes, a mark of the most powerful dynasty in the Mediterranean.

For the ancient Phoenicians, the Tyrian purple trade helped them make a lot of money, build a mercantile empire, and establish new colonies in the Mediterranean.

 Special snails produce purple dye.

Mouhamad Ghassen Nouira said: "This hobby started when I was a boy. I loved studying history, studying the Canaanites, Phoenicians and Carthaginians and how they are famous for extracting purple color from snails. , producing a color product that is more expensive than gold".

Later, upon seeing a dead body on the beach and recalling history classes, he decided to experiment with ways of making dyes. "From that moment I started my adventure," says Mouhamad Ghassen Nouira.

The Phoenicians founded Carthage about 3,000 years ago and eventually became one of the great powers of antiquity with a mighty navy, stationed in a nearly impregnable port complex.

Mouhamad Ghassen Nouira creates purple dye

Under the leadership of the greatest general Hannibal, who carried war elephants across Spain, in the Alps, Carthage nearly conquered Italy, but in the end Rome prevailed.

Later, the Romans rebuilt the city and is now a suburb of Tunis.
Pillars of ancient buildings jut out along the residential streets and the once mighty port is now home to small fishing boats, which dot the nearby beaches are peculiar snails created. purple dye.

As the centuries passed, the secret of turning snails into Tyrian dye was slowly lost until a few enthusiasts tried to recreate the recipe.

Purple fabric is dyed from Tyrian dyes.

Mouhamad Ghassen Nouira spent 14 years figuring out how to make purple dye from snails he bought from local fishermen. The dye making process is quite sophisticated and it takes 54 kg of snail shells to create 1 gram of Tyrian purple.

At first, those around him criticized Mouhamad Ghassen Nouira's quirky hobby and complained about the wasted time and energy he spent. Until, he began to have results, people gradually recognized and respected.

"The criticism turned into encouragement that pushed me to continue pursuing my passion," says Mouhamad Ghassen Nouira.