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The discovery also underscores the interconnectedness of ancient societies. (File) Israeli archaeologists working in the Judean Desert found the earliest evidence of Biblical scarlet dye, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Thursday. The rare textile, 3,800-years-old and less than two cm in size, was uncovered in the "Cave of Skulls" northeast of Jerusalem during excavations aimed at preserving heritage finds and preventing antiquities theft.

The woolen weft threads were dyed red, while the linen warp threads remained uncolored. Carbon-14 analysis dated the textile to the Middle Bronze Age (1767-1954 BCE). According to a new joint study of the Israel Antiquities Authority, Bar-Ilan University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the textile's scarlet color was produced from the oak scale insects, which the researchers identify with the Biblical scarlet worm Tola'at Hashani.



The scarlet-red color, mentioned in the Bible alongside royal blue tekheilet and purple argaman, is considered one of the ancient world's most precious and expensive dyes, which were used -- according to the biblical commandment -- to dye the fabrics of the Tabernacle and the priestly garments. Using advanced analytical methods, including High-Performance Liquid Chromatography to identify the dye's origin, the researchers concluded that the red hue came from the Kermes vermilio species, known for producing kermesic acid, which imparts the distinctive red color. The findings were recently publi.

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