\paperw5295 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \qr \f1 \fs22 DYING OF CLOTH\par
\par
Textile dying was one of the Phoenicians' main industrial activities. Their skill lay in
their ability to dye cloth in an indelible way, bestowing a much greater value on it. The favorite color was purple, obtained from a special kind of shellfish present in large quantities on the shoals of the Mediterranean. The dye was produced in the fo
llowing manner: after removal of the shell, the molluscs were left to macerate in large tubs. The resulting pigment was diluted with seawater to obtain the intensity of color required, which could range from dark red to purple.\par