First evidence of biblical scarlet dye found in the Israeli desert

Tel Aviv:

Israeli archaeologists working in the Judean Desert have found the first evidence of biblical scarlet paint, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Thursday.

The rare fabric, 3,800 years old and less than two centimeters in size, was discovered in the “Cave of Skulls” northeast of Jerusalem during excavations aimed at preserving historical finds and preventing the theft of antiquities. The woolen weft threads were dyed red, while the linen warp threads remained colorless.

Carbon-14 analysis dated the fabric to the Middle Bronze Age (1767-1954 BC).

According to a new joint study by the Israel Antiquities Authority, Bar-Ilan University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the fabric’s scarlet color was produced from oak scale insects, which researchers identify with the scarlet worm. Biblical Tola’at Hashani.

The scarlet-red color, mentioned in the Bible alongside royal blue tekheilet and purple argaman, is considered one of the most precious and expensive dyes in the ancient world, which were used – in accordance with the biblical commandment – to dye the fabrics of the Tabernacle . and the priestly vestments.

Using advanced analytical methods, including high-performance liquid chromatography to identify the origin of the dye, researchers concluded that the red hue came from the Kermes vermilio species, known for producing quermesic acid, which gives the distinctive red color.

The findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed Journal of A Archeological Science: Reports.

“In the past, the dye was produced from the female cochineal, which lives on the Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera),” explained Dr. Na’ama Sukenik, curator of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Collection of Organic Materials.

“The collection of these kermes was done in a very short period of time – one month a year, in the summer, after the female laid the eggs, but before they hatched – when the amount of dye was greater. The short period in which the kermes could be collected, the difficulty of finding them due to their small size, between 3-8 mm, and camouflage colors – which make them difficult to locate”, added Sukenik.

The amount of dye that could be produced from eggs was limited, she explained, but “the beautiful scarlet hue that could be produced from them to dye fabrics made their use highly prestigious.”

The discovery also underscores the interconnectedness of ancient societies. Despite the presence of a native species of cochineal in Israel capable of producing an orange-red color, the researchers found that the fabric dye came from a species common in the central and eastern Mediterranean region, indicating extensive trade networks, the researchers said. .

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