Tyrian, also known as Tyrian Red and Imperial Purple, is a reddish-purple natural dye that’s secreted by several species of predatory sea snails. Its extraction is an ancient process, where the acquisition of the dye involved tens of thousands of snails and substantial labor, and as a result, the dye was highly valued. Naturally, colors varied between blue-reds and purples, but it is modernly reflected in shades ranging from purple to maroon, which is why some early speculative mock-ups also varied.
