Ancient purple dye factory unearthed in Haifa linked to Biblical royalty and trade

Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered a remarkably well-preserved ancient dye workshop along the Haifa coastline, offering an unprecedented look into the large-scale production of luxury purple dye (argaman in Hebrew) during the Iron Age - a period spanning roughly 1100 to 600 B.C., which overlaps with the era of Jerusalem’s First Temple.

The discovery, made at the site of Tel Shikmona, includes dozens of large ceramic vats stained with dye residue, grinding stones, and other specialized tools used to manufacture the rare and costly pigment once reserved for kings, priests, and temples. The findings were published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One by researchers from the University of Haifa.

“This is the first time we can reconstruct the shape of the vessels used in the purple dye industry and how they were employed in the manufacturing and dyeing processes,” said Dr. Golan Shalvi, who led the study on behalf of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa and the University of Chicago. He conducted the research together with Professor Ayelet Gilboa of the University of Haifa.

Tel Shikmona was one of the most important purple dye manufacturing centers in the ancient Levant. According to earlier research by Shalvi and Gilboa, the site likely operated as a major hub under the Kingdom of Israel during the Omride and Jehu dynasties. The latest evidence further confirms its scale and sophistication, suggesting it may have been the largest industrial dye workshop of its kind in the region.

The newly uncovered vessels, some towering over a meter (3.3 feet) in height and holding up to 350 liters (92 gallons), were large enough to dye entire wool fleeces. Their size, uniformity, and arrangement indicate a highly organized production system that operated continuously across centuries. Researchers identified at least 16 vats that may have been used simultaneously during peak periods.

“For the first time, we have identified a complete production system in which significant quantities of purple dye were produced using specialized tools designed to streamline the process,” Gilboa explained. “The scale of the operation confirms that Shikmona was an extraordinary production center for its time.”

Previous studies have suggested that Shikmona’s purple dye was traded commercially across the region and may have been used for sacred garments in the Temple in Jerusalem. The rare dye - extracted painstakingly from murex sea snails - was a symbol of wealth, holiness, and authority in the ancient world.