Here is what you may not know about the colour purple.
There are many religions and cultures around the world that have treated the colour purple almost like a symbol of luxury and royalty. It is not just another shade, it is a unique colour that is fabulous and interesting in many ways. Here are some facts about the colour purple.
The colour purple technically doesn’t exist
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet are the seven colours within the visible spectrum of light. Each colour has its corresponding wavelength. A new colour is created only when these waves overlap. This discovery was made in the 1600s by Sir Isaac Newton. He found that white light is a mix of all seven colours, which bounce back and are perceived by the receptors in the eyes. The colour purple is a mix of red and blue waves overlapping as they bounce back. When we look at red and blue together, our brain interprets it as the colour purple.
Tyrian purple was very expensive to create
Tyrian purple, also known as Phoenician purple, is a pigment that is a reddish-purple hue. It was originally produced sometime around 1600 BCE. The secretion of decomposing tropical sea snails was used to make this colour. Making a garment in this hue was a time-consuming and complex process. Just developing a dye with the right shade of purples took days. Because the production process of this hue was so challenging, clothes made with this dye were very costly. Only the rich could afford to purchase garments in this sought after hue. Today, the practice is rare due to a decline in the snail population and the widespread use of artificial dyes.
Many cultures view purple as a regal colour
Back in the day, the colour purple was scarce. It is one of the reasons many religions and cultures revered the hue. Purple dye was made out of a plant native to eastern Asia called purple gromwell in China. However, the dye sometimes did not always stick to the fabric. Therefore, using it for clothing came at a high price. The births of many emperors born into power were held in purple rooms to distinguish them from those who came into power by winning wars. Henry VIII’s daughter Elizabeth I prohibited anyone who was not royal from wearing the colour. The Byzantine Empire believed this particular colour was a gift from God.
