The Search for Tyrian Purple in Early Medieval England

The prestigious and highly expensive purple dye known by various names, such as Tyrian Purple and Imperial Purple, was closely associated with the Roman and Byzantine emperors and others in the most exalted levels of Mediterranean society. This talk will investigate the possibility, as unlikely as it may seem, that shellfish purple dye was seen in Early Medieval England, on the very edge of the “civilized” world. How could the early English afford such southern luxury? Come and find out April 6