Israeli researchers identify 3800-year-old textile dyed red with scale insects

Jerusalem, July 18 – A new Israeli study that investigated dozens of ancient textiles identified a rare scarlet red-colored one, which was dyed with oak scale insects, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said in a statement on Thursday.

Despite written historical evidence about the widespread use of dyeing with scale insects in the ancient world, very few textiles dyed with kermes insects that predate the Roman period have been found, according to the IAA.

In the latest study, the textiles were discovered back in 2016 in the Cave of Skulls in the Judean Desert, west of the Dead Sea and south of the West Bank. The research has since then been carried out by the IAA, Bar-Ilan University, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Xinhua news agency reported.

Examination of the textile piece, which is less than 2 cm in size, revealed that the red dye was used for the woolen weft threads of the textile, while the warp threads, made of linen, remained uncolored.

Lab analysis dated the textile to the Middle Bronze Age (1767-1954 BCE), making it the earliest evidence of textile dyed with acid produced by kermes, a genus of scale insects that feed on the sap of oak trees, said the researchers.

The IAA noted that the scarlet-red color, considered one of the most precious dyes in ancient times, was used for luxurious clothing and cultic purposes.

In ancient times, the kermes were collected during one summer month every year after the female laid its eggs but before they hatched, when the amount of dye was greatest, according to the researchers.

They explained that the short collection period, the difficulty in finding them due to their small size of 3 to 8 mm and their camouflage colors, the small amount of dye that can be produced from them, and the beautiful red hue they provide made their use highly prestigious.

The researchers said their findings provide significant evidence of ancient knowledge of the dyeing technique, broad international commercial networks, and the presence of an elite society in the Middle Bronze Age.

The research is in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.