Mediterranean sea, the coasts of Spain , Portugal , Morocco and the Canary Islands , depth of 2 130 m . Pliny suggests collection before the spring. Colour precursors are contained in the hypobranchial gland.
Historical Data
This ancient colour craft constituted one of the most complex of all industrial biochemical processes practiced in antiquity. Purple dyeing may have originated as early as about 4,000 years ago according to the archaeological record mentioned above, and perhaps the first discoverers of this enterprise were the Minoans of Crete. This supposition is based on the discovery of murex shells from that period at various Aegean sites, and also on wall paintings from that era.
