25 June 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A 4000-year-old Fabric Found in a Cave of Skulls in the Judean Desert is the Oldest Dyed with Insect Dye

Researchers discovered an ancient textile dyed with kermes (Kermes vermilio) in Israel’s Cave of Skulls that dates back to the Middle Bronze Age.

This textile, found in the Judean Desert and made of linen and wool dyed red, has been dated by direct radiocarbon to the Middle Bronze Age, specifically between 1954 and 1767 BC. What makes this find unique is the use of red dye derived from the insect Kermes vermilioa luxurious and rare source of color in ancient times.

In a study of textiles discovered in the Cave of the Skulls in the Judean Desert, researchers conducted dye analyses using High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and identified a unique, red-dyed textile dyed with scaly insects.

This technique allowed for the detection of the dye’s presence and verified that the red dye originated from the scale insect Kermes vermilio, which parasitizes oak trees, particularly Quercus coccifera. Despite being destructive, this method only needs a small sample, protecting the integrity of the antiquated object.

Textiles are rare items in the archaeological record due to their perishable nature and the rapid decomposition to which they are subject, making their preservation under special conditions, such as those in the caves of the Judean Desert, exceptionally valuable.

On the left larvae of kermes vermilio, in the center the analyzed tissue. Image Credit: Naama Sukenik et al.
On the left larvae of kermes vermilio, in the center the analyzed tissue. Image Credit: Naama Sukenik et al.

Detailed examination of this textile, despite its small size, enables researchers to trace the origin of the red color back to the insect species used, a significant discovery not only for its age but also for what it reveals about ancient civilizations’ knowledge and technology in the handling and application of natural dyes.

Given that using dyes made from scale insects, such as Kermes vermilio, was an expensive and labor-intensive process, it is possible that these textiles served as status and power symbols in prehistoric societies.

In addition to reflecting individual preferences, textile color was used in ancient societies as a nonverbal communication system about a person’s social and economic standing.

The study was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104673

Cover Photo: The fabric dyed with kermes. Dafna Gazit / Israel Antiquities Authority

Related Articles

Fragments of ‘unique’ 17th-century iconostasis discovered in Polish church

28 October 2023

28 October 2023

Researchers from the Institute of Art at the Polish Academy of Sciences (IS PAN) have discovered substantial fragments of a...

A 2000-year-old wooden figure was unearthed in a Buckinghamshire ditch

13 January 2022

13 January 2022

An extremely rare, carved wooden figure from the early Roman era has been discovered in a waterlogged ditch during work...

A fossilized Neanderthal skeleton unearthed in France may have belonged to a previously undescribed lineage that split from other Neanderthals

12 September 2024

12 September 2024

The fossilized Neanderthal skeleton, discovered in a cave system in the Rhône Valley of France, represents a previously unidentified lineage...

Traces of fossilized crabs in the Zagros Mountains, Iran which may hint at a hotbed of biodiversity dating from 15 million years

18 April 2022

18 April 2022

A group of paleontologists from the  University of Tehran has discovered traces of fossilized crabs in the Iranian which may...

3000 years old wooden wishing well discovered in Germany

7 January 2023

7 January 2023

In the town of Germering, in the Germany state of Bavaria, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a well-preserved Bronze...

Mesopotamian bricks reveal the strength of Earth’s ancient magnetic field

19 December 2023

19 December 2023

Ancient Mesopotamian bricks reveal the details of a curious strengthening of the Earth’s magnetic field, according to a new study...

5000-year-old fingerprint found in Orkney pottery

23 April 2021

23 April 2021

Fingerprints were found on a pottery dating back 5,000 years in the Orkney archipelago, located in the northern region of...

Researchers have unveiled text concealed beneath an intricate decorative layer of gold leaf on a page of the famous Blue Qur’an

19 November 2024

19 November 2024

Using multispectral imaging techniques, researchers from the Zayed National Museum have uncovered text hidden beneath an intricate layer of gold...

Scientists Reconstruct Face Of 16th Century Italian ‘Vampire’ Buried With Brick In Mouth

23 March 2024

23 March 2024

A 16th-century ‘vampire‘ who was buried with a stone brick jammed in her mouth over fears she would feed on...

A Christian monastery, possibly pre-dating Islam, found in UAE

6 November 2022

6 November 2022

A Christian monastery has been discovered on the island of Siniyah off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE),...

Lost 4,000-Year-Old Bronze Age Settlement Uncovered at Khaybar Oasis in Northern Saudi Arabia

31 October 2024

31 October 2024

A team of archaeologists led by Guillaume Charloux of France’s National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) announced Wednesday the discovery...

Archaeologists find evidence of how Iron Age Britons adapted to the Roman conquest in Winterborne Kingston

29 June 2024

29 June 2024

Archaeologists from Bournemouth University (BU) have discovered human remains and artifacts which give new insight into how early Britons adapted...

A 2100-year-old inscription found İn Türkiye: Antiochos of Commagene calls on the people to ‘obey and respect the law’

15 March 2024

15 March 2024

The ancient inscription found near Kımıldağı (Kımıl Mount) in Önevler village of Adıyaman’s Gerger district in 2023 will shed light...

Mystery of the 1,700-year-old Mosaic Solved: The Medallion in the Mosaic uncovered to be the Symbol of a Roman Military Unit

10 August 2024

10 August 2024

The mystery of the 1,700-year-old mosaic, which was found during excavations in Amasya province in northern Turkey 11 years ago...

A gilded silver Anglo-Saxon object “made by someone with a real eye for loveliness” has the experts baffled

2 January 2024

2 January 2024

An enigmatic Anglo-Saxon object has been unearthed in a captivating discovery near Langham, Norfolk, East of England. This gilded silver...