Biblical-Era Scarlet Dye Discovered in Judean Desert

Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a rare textile fragment in the Judean Desert dating back to the Bronze Age, which provides concrete evidence of the use of dyes described in the Bible. The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the discovery on Thursday morning, highlighting its significance in understanding ancient dyeing practices.

According to a joint study by the Israel Antiquities Authority, Bar-Ilan University, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the red color of the 3,800-year-old textile was produced from oak scale insects, identified with the biblical “Tola‛at Hashani” (scarlet worm). This color, mentioned 25 times in the Bible, was often associated with luxury and used in sacred contexts alongside blue (Tekhelet) and purple (Argaman).

The discovery was part of an extensive project to identify dyes in archaeological textiles, led by Dr. Naama Sukenik from the Israel Antiquities Authority, Prof. Zohar Amar and Prof. David Iluz from Bar-Ilan University, and supported by the Israel Science Foundation. The textile, discovered in 2016 in the “Cave of Skulls” during excavations aimed at preventing antiquities theft, was less than 2 cm in size but its bright red shade drew significant attention.

Using advanced analytical equipment, the researchers determined that the red dye was produced by kermes, a type of oak-scale insect. The textile, made of woolen weft threads dyed red and linen warp threads left uncolored, was dated to the Middle Bronze Age (1767-1954 BCE) using carbon-14 analysis.

“In ancient times, the dye was produced from the female scale insect, which lives on the kermes oak tree (Quercus coccifera),” explained Dr. Na’ama Sukenik, Curator of the Organic Material Collection at the Israel Antiquities Authority. The collection of these insects occurred in a brief window during the summer when the dye yield was highest, making the process labor-intensive and the dye highly prestigious.

The use of red dye from kermes is well-documented in ancient trade records, such as cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia dating back to 1425 BCE. Prof. Zohar Amar of Bar-Ilan University noted, “In the Bible, the dye extracted from oak scale insects is referred to as ‘scarlet worm’. This term reflects a sophisticated understanding of these insects, which ancient naturalists often mistook for plant granules.”

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify the dye’s origin, pinpointing it to the species Kermes vermilio. This method, common in biology and chemistry, allowed researchers to determine the dye’s precise composition and its use in the textile industry as early as the Middle Bronze Age.

Despite the extensive historical references to scale insect dyes, actual textile evidence from before the Roman period is scarce. The red textile from the “Cave of the Skulls” is the earliest known example of wool dyed with kermes, providing tangible proof of the ancient textile dyeing industry and its sophisticated techniques.

“This discovery bridges the gap between written sources and archaeological findings,” said Dr. Uri Davidovich, an excavation director at the Cave of the Skulls. “It provides evidence that the ancient textile dyeing industry was already well-established 3,800 years ago, indicating the presence of an elite society engaged in extensive international trade networks.”

Dr. Sukenik added, “The rare textile is a testament to broad international commercial networks functioning at this time and indicates the presence of an elite society.”

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