 | A storehouse of ancient objects, including precious jewels and gold beads, was uncovered on an island near Crete in 2019. Chrysi, now uninhabited, was once devoted to making a precious purple dye from sea snails. The huge value placed on the purple dye supported a rich settlement between 3,800 and 3,500 years ago, during the Minoan civilization. The huge prosperity of the island is not seen by the remains of its simple buildings, but the quality of the artifacts found. |
 | Researchers investigated the settlement on Chrysi since 2008. Among various discoveries is the remains of large carved stone tanks near the waterline on the beach. Researchers believe the tanks were used to farm Hexaplex trunculus. The difficulty of making the dye led to it only being used by the elite, and it became known as 'Royal purple.' It was also known as 'Tyrian purple,' after the ancient Phoenican coastal city of Tyre which also produced it. |  |
