Colonia (Master Dye Works)

Tyrian purple, also known as Imperial purple, was used to dye royal and ceremonial robes by the ancients as early as 1600BC. It was produced from various molluscs, notably the Murex, and was not only an extraordinary colour but was valued as it did not fade. Incredibly laborious to produce, Tyrian purple took some 12,000 shellfish to extract 1.5 grams of dye. The Phoenicians, whose name even derives from the Greek for purple, traded the dye all across the Mediterranean from cities such as Carthage. Later, of course, its production and dissemination was controlled by the Roman Empire.