The essay shows the rare pigment as an Anthropocene object with a rich history and contemporary significance. Tyrian purple, extracted from molluscs of the genus Murex, symbolized power and prestige in antiquity, influencing politics, economy and landscape. The text explores its production, from Phoenicia to Byzantium, and mentions its environmental and social costs. In modern times, purple has become the subject of synthetic chemistry and bioengineering, while remaining a symbol of the human desire to control nature. The authors highlights the paradox between the prestige associated with the pigment and the ecological or economic limits of its production. Tyrian purple illustrates the interconnection between history, science and the environmental challenges of the Anthropocene.
Authors: Viktorie Patová, Viktor Hamšík, Peter Koutsos,