Purple has long been the colour of kings, emperors, and gods. Its comparative rarity in nature marked it out as special from the earliest times. We will look at three elite materials of purple hue – each renowned for their extreme value, rarity, and important symbolic associations – porphyry, murex, and amethyst. A look at the origins and uses of these materials will uncover a world of mystery, beauty and exotic locations that prove being “born to the purple” was indeed akin to being touched by the divine.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

COURSE OUTLINE

• The history of the colour purple from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine era
• The geology, mining, trade and archaeology of the three materials under discussion – porphyry, murex and amethyst
• The symbolic associations of these materials
• A visit to relevant sites in Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Italy, and colourful presentation of artefacts made from these materials.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Fully appreciate the reason why purple is a colour of renown.
2. Enjoy an understanding of the history and locations where porphyry, murex and amethyst were found, how they were processed and transported.
3. See the connections of purple to mythology and religion.
4. Appreciate the beauty, value and extreme rarity of artefacts made from these materials and know where to find them in archaeological sites, museums, and churches around the Mediterranean