Kremer Pigmente GmbH & Co. KG     Kremer Pigments Inc., USA  

Tyrian purple was one of the most costly organic colouring matters of the ancients. It was prepared from several mollusks or whelks, including Murex brandaris and Purpura haemostoma, which are found on the shores of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Huge quantities of these mollusks were used for dyeing fabrics in classical times.

Traditionally marking the dress of emperors, kings and chief magistrates, 1 gram of this dye is made from the secretion of 10,000 of these large sea snails.

This purple colour is remarkably stable, resisting alkalis, soap, and most acids. It is insoluble in most organic solvents.

Tyrian purple was used in the preparation of a purple ink and in dyeing parchments upon which the codices of Byzantium were written. Whelks that produce the purple dye, are also found on the coasts of the British Isles, and they furnished the purple colour for some of the early English, Irish and French manuscripts (Thompson).

The colour went out of use about the 8^th century, though it may have been used occasionally up until the 11^th century.