Biblical ‘Royal Purple’ cloth from David’s time unearthed in southern Israel

Israeli Archaeologists unearthed purple scraps in the Timna Valley in southern Israel.

Archaeologists in Israel have unearthed 3,000-year-old cloth remnants dating to the time of King David that is dyed with the unique royal purple described in the Bible as worn by biblical kings.

The purple was the oldest ever found with the color was uncovered in the Timna Valley in southern Israel.

The purple is called “argaman.” 

The cloth remnants date to 1,000 B.C, the time of King David.

Purple was symbolic of royalty and the priesthood in the Bible.

Purple was the color of royalty, a designator of status. And while purple is flashy and pretty, it was more important at the time that purple was expensive.

Purple was expensive because purple dye came from snails.

Snails were collected by the thousands. They were then boiled for days in giant lead vats, producing a terrible odor.

The snails, though, aren’t purple, to begin with.

The craftsmen were harvesting chemical precursors from the snails that, through heat and light, were transformed into the valuable purple dye.

Luke 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.

The evil soldiers at Jesus’ trial clothed Jesus in purple.

Mark 15:14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

Mark 15:15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Mark 15:16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.

Mark 15:17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,

Mark 15:18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

Mark 15:19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.

Mark 15:20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

In the Old Testament, kings wore purple

Judges 8:26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

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