9. The origin of purple dye

The color purple has often been regarded as a symbol of wealth and power. But the dye used to produce it. Did not have a elegant beginning. An ancient people, living a long coast of the Mediterranean Sea first discovered how to make the dye from Murex snails, small sea animals with hard shells. Unlike other snails. Murex snails give off a strong-smelling liquid, that changes color when it comes into contact with air and light. From this liquid, the people produced the purple dye. If we visit the places, where the dye was produced, we might still be able to see the shells of Murex snails. Let us hope, we cannot smell them.