From a blue that rivaled sky and sea to a purple befitting of royalty, the world of the Minoans was undeniably vibrant. The most prominent hues used in their frescoes in particular included black, white, red, yellow, blue, and green. Pink was the one color that was virtually nonexistent in their art, clothing, and makeup. But where did such striking shades come from? They were all naturally sourced, but the origins of specific colors like purple might surprise you…

Black

In order for the Minoans to create a black pigment as deep as the midnight sky, shale was primarily broken up into a fine dust, then mixed with a binder like olive oil or animal fat. Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock that’s formed from mud. There were and still are plenty of shale formations all across the island, so this color was readily available. Additionally, the oxidation of other minerals like azurite could have very well been used in place of shale. When it came to eye and eyebrow makeup, kohl (a powder made from crushed minerals like lead sulfide or charcoal) was used by Minoan women and men alike.

White

Stark white was sourced from slaked lime. Also known as calcium hydroxide, slaked lime is a pale powdery substance formed when quicklime (calcium oxide) is mixed with water. In addition, talc and calcium silicate were used to paint pottery.

Red

More of a reddish-brown, hematite (iron oxide – rust) was the most common source for red, as well as red ochre. When it came to coloring fabrics, dye was extracted from the madder plant’s (Rubia tinctorum) roots.

Yellow

A naturally-occurring earth pigment, their lively yellow hue featured in frescoes and textiles alike was made from yellow ochre. A more golden variation that happened to be highly UV-resistant was a plant dye derived from weld (Reseda luteola). The most vibrant yellow tint of them all was made by crushing saffron. The stigmas from the crocus flower, saffron was more so used for its medicinal and ritualistic properties by midwives and healers. Mineral pigments like realgar and orpiment produced a more yellowish-orange color.

Blue

Blue, Egyptian blue in particular, was more of a synthetic pigment made by combining ground-up silica, lime, copper, and alkali and then firing it. A natural blue mineral from a metavolcanic rock called glaucophane (or blueschist) was also utilized. The bright blue gemstone lapis lazuli was another viable option.

Green

To produce green, the Minoans simply combined yellow and blue in varying amounts to create a wide spectrum of green tints.

Purple

Just as the other colors above, purple was indeed naturally-sourced. But it wasn’t from a mineral, plant, or stone. Instead, it was derived from the gland of a mollusk: the murex snail, which was and is still abundant along the Cretan coast. Unfortunately, these sea snails were usually crushed to extract their gland secretions. But what actually yielded the prized purple dye was when it was oxidized and heated. This color has always had an association with royalty, so it’s no surprise that it was a symbol of prestige to Minoans. Archaeological evidence (namely a dye installation on Pefka) suggests that the Minoans were producing Tyrian purple centuries before the Phoenicians. While the snails could be kept alive for multiple dye extractions, they were often killed. This pigment could be modified to also produce a redder shade. Clearly, prestige came at a price, but that didn’t stop the Minoans!

Sources

• Aegean Dyes: Unearthing the Colors of Ancient Minoan Textiles – Expedition Magazine
• An Analysis of Blue Pigments from The Greek Bronze Age – S. E. Filippakis et al.
• Analysis of Minoan White Pigments Used on Pottery from Palaikastro – Charles P Swann et al.
• Minoan Purple Production Found on Crete – The History Blog
• Thoughts about Modulations in Color from Purple to Red and from Purple to Blue – Gregory Nagy