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〃The Purple was very dear； there were two
sorts of Fishes whereof it was made； the Pelagii；
（which were those that were caught in the deep）
and the Buccini。 The Pelagium per Pound was
worth 50 Nummi； （8 s。 10 3/4 d。）； and the Buceinunt
double that； viz。 17 s。 8 3/4 d。 （Harduin
reads a hundred Pounds at that price。） The Tyrian
double Dye per Pound could scarce be bought
for L35 9 s。； 1 3/4 d。〃
The very ancient writers state that the most esteemed
of the Tyrian purples were those which compared
in color with 〃coagulated bullocks' blood。〃
This estimation seems to go back to the time of the
Phoenicians； who were excessively fond of the redder
shades of purple which they obtained also from several
varieties of shell…fish and comprehended under two
species； one （Buccinum） found in cliffs； and the other
（Pelagia） which was captured at sea。 The first was
found on the coasts of the Mediterranean and Atlantic。
The Atlantic shells afforded the darkest color； while
those of the Phoenician coast itself yielded scarlet
shades of wonderful intensity。
Respecting the cost and durability of the Tyrian
purple； it is related that Alexander the Great found in
the treasury of the Persian monarch 5；000 quintals of
Hermione purple of great beauty； and 180 years old；
and that it was worth 125 of our money per pound
weight。 The price of dyeing a pound of wool in the
time of Augustus is given by Pliny； and that price is
equal to about 160 of our money。 It is probable
that his remarks refer to some particular tint or quality
of color easily distinguished； although not at all clearly
defined by Pliny。 He also mentions a sort of purple；
or hyacinth； which was worth； in the time of Julius
Caesar； 100 denarii （about 15 of our money） per
pound。
The best authorities of the present day； however；
are of opinion that the celebrated Tyrian…purple was
extracted from a mollusk known as the Janthina prolongata；
a shell abundant in the Mediterranean and
very common near Narbonne； where the Tyrian purple
dye…works were in operation at least six hundred
years before Christ。
The price current of some of the inks and colors of
antiquity； as quoted by Arbuthnot； are cited herewith：
Armenian purple 30 hs。=4 s。 10 1/3 d。
India purple from one Denarius； or 7 3/4 d。 to 30
Denarii； 19 s。 4 1 2 d。
Pelagium； the juice of one sort fishes that dyed
purple； 50 hs。=8 s。 0 7/8 d。
Buccinum the juice of the other fish that dyed
purple； 100 hs。=16 s。 1 3/4 d。
Cinnabar 50 hs。=8 s。 0 7/8 d。
Tarentine red purple； price not mentioned。
Melinum； a sort of colour that came from Melos；
one Nummus；=1 15/16 d。
Paretonium； a sort of colour that came from aegypt；
very lasting； 6 Denarii；=3 s。 10 1/2 d。
Myrobalanus； 2 Denarii；=1 s。 3 1/2 d。
The last…named substance is the fruit of the Termi…
nalia； a product of China and the East Indies； best
known as Myrabolams and must have been utilized
solely for the tannin they contain； which Loewe
estimates to be identical with ellago…tannic acid； later
discovered in the divi…divi； a fruit grown in South
America； and bablah which is also a fruit of a species
of Acacia； well known also for its gum。
No monuments are extant of the ancient Myrabolam ink。
Antimony and galls were used by the Egyptian
ladies to tint their eyes and lashes and （who knows）
to write with。
Many of the dyes employed as ink were those occurring
naturally as animal and vegetable products； or
which could be produced therefrom by comparatively
simple means； otherwise we would not be confronted
with the fact that no specimens of ink writing of
natural origin remain to us。
The very few specimens of ink writing which have
outlasted decay and disintegration through so many
ages； are found to be closely allied to materials like
bitumen； lampblack obtained from the smoke of oil…
torches or resins； or gold； silver； cinnabar and
minium。
Josephus asserts that the books of the ancient Hebrews
were written in gold and silver。
〃Sicca dewat〃 （A silver ink standeth）； as the ancient
Arabic proverb runs。
Rosselini asserts：
〃the monumental hireoglyphics of the Egyptians
were almost invariably painted with the liveliest
tints； and when similar hireoglyphics were executed
on a reduced scale； and in a more cursive
form upon papyri or scrolls made from the leaves
of the papyrus the pages were written with both
black and colored inks。〃
The early mode of ink writing in biblical times
mentioned in Numbers v。 23； where It is said 〃the
priest shall write the curses in a book； and blot them
out with the bitter water；〃 was with a kind of ink
prepared for the purpose； without any salts of iron or
other material which could make a permanent dye；
these maledictions were then washed into the water；
which the woman was obliged to drink； so that she
drank the very words of the execration。 The ink
still used in the East is almost all of this kind； a wet
sponge will obliterate the finest of their writings。
In the book of Jeremiah； chap。 xxxvi。 verse 18； it
says： 〃Then Baruch answered； He pronounced all
these words unto me with his mouth； and I wrote
THEM with ink in the book；〃 and in Ezek。 ix。 2； 3； 11；
〃Ink horn〃 is referred to。
Six hundred years later in the New Testament is
another mention of ink 〃having many things to write
unto you。 I would not write with paper and Ink；〃
&c。； second epistle。 of John； 12； and again in his
third epistle； 13； 〃I had many things to write； but
I will not with pen and Ink write unto thee。〃
The illustrative history of the ancient Egyptians
does not point to a time before the reed was used as a
pen。 The various sculptures； carvings； pottery and
paintings； exhibit the scribes at work in their avocations；
recording details about the hands and ears of
slaughtered enemies； the numbers of captives； the
baskets of wheat； the numerous animals； the tribute；
the treaties and the public records。 These ancient
scribes employed a cylindrical box for ink； with writing
tablets； which were square sections of wood with
lateral grooves to hold the small reeds for writing。
During the time Joseph was Viceroy of Egypt
under Sethosis I； the first of the Pharaohs； B。 C。 1717；
he employed a small army of clerks and storekeepers
throughout Egypt in his extensive grain operations。
The scribes whose duties pertained to making records
respecting this business； used both red and black inks；
contained in different receptacles in a desk； which；
when not in use； was placed in a box or trunk； with
leather handles at the sides； and in this way was
carried from place to place。 As the scribe had two
colors of ink； he needed two pens （reeds） and we see
him on the monuments of Thebes； busy with one pen
at work； and the other placed in that most ancient
pen…rack； behind the ear。 Such； says Mr。 Knight； is
pre