Purple and brown are two common colors that have been used by humans for thousands of years. The origin of these colors and their introduction into human culture is an interesting topic. In this article, we will explore the history and first uses of the colors purple and brown.
The History of Purple
Purple is an unusual color in nature and historically difficult for humans to produce. This rarity led it to be associated with royalty and high status in many ancient cultures.
The first known uses of purple come from prehistoric marine shellfish shells that had a purple tint. During the Bronze Age, humans began actively working to produce purple for decorative and ceremonial purposes.
The Phoenicians, centered in the ancient city of Tyre (in modern day Lebanon), were the first major producers and traders of purple. They gathered mucus secretions from a species of shellfish called Murex to extract a purple-blue dye called tyrian purple. This labor-intensive process made tyrian purple extremely valuable. It became a status symbol reserved for royalty and the elite across the Mediterranean.
Around 1200 BC, the Phoenicians established an industry producing and trading tyrian purple. Their monopoly on purple dye production continued into the Roman Empire. When Alexander the Great conquered Tyre in 332 BC, he gained control of the precious purple dye and restricted its use to royalty in the Hellenistic world.
Later, during the Roman Empire, purple remained associated with the Emperor and senators. The phrase “to don the purple” meant to become Emperor. Only the imperial family could wear pure Tyrian purple, while high officials wore shades of purple mixed with white.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD, the process of making tyrian purple was lost for centuries. It was rediscovered in the 19th century as modern chemistry advanced. However, by that time, cheaper synthetic purple dyes had been developed.
Early Production of Purple Dyes
Here is a summary of how some early civilizations produced purple dyes:
| Civilization | Source of Dye | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenicians | Murex sea snails | Extracted mucus secretions; required extensive boiling |
| Mayans | Purpura sea snail | Collected snail shells; boiled in salt water |
| Egyptians | Murex and Purpura shells | Heated shells over fire to extract dye |
As shown, many early purple dyes came from secretions of specific sea snails. Producing the dyes required harvesting large numbers of snails and boiling or heating the shells extensively. This labor-intensive process meant only wealthy elites could afford purple garments.
The History of Brown
Unlike purple, brown is an earthy color that was readily accessible in nature since prehistory. Brown comes from natural pigments found in soil, plants, wood, and animals.
The earliest known use of brown pigments by humans dates back to prehistoric cave paintings. Paints made from brown ochre clay were used in cave art across Europe 30,000 to 40,000 years ago during the Stone Age.
Different shades of brown continued to be widely used in art, clothing, and decoration throughout ancient history. Pigments included raw umber from clay soil, burnt umber derived from manganese oxide, and sepia from the ink of cuttlefish.
During the Middle Ages, brown clothing became associated with poverty. Natural undyed wool and linen producd beige or brown shades. Medieval European peasants and commoners tended to wear simple brown clothing, while the nobility wore brightly colored silks and velvets.
However, shades of brown also became fashionable among Medieval monks. The Franciscan Orders in the 13th century chose plain brown robes to represent humility and poverty.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, brown became a staple color in men's business suits. Different shades of brown also grew in popularity for furniture, leather goods, book binding, packaging, and other common goods.
Today brown remains one of the most common colors in nature. Its ubiquity comes from the wide availability of brown pigments in soil, plants, wood, and animals.
Early Sources of Brown Pigments
Here are some common sources of brown pigments used in early human history:
| Source | Pigment Produced |
|---|---|
| Iron oxide clays | Ochre, sienna, umber |
| Charcoal | Carbon black |
| Tree bark | Sepia |
| Animals | Rawhide, bone, ink |
Unlike purple, these brown pigments were relatively easy for humans to obtain from their environments. iron oxide clays and charcoal provided browns like ochre and umber. Tree bark yielded sepia. Animal products also produced brown tones, including rawhide, bones, and the sepia ink of cuttlefish.
The Significance of Purple and Brown
The contrast between purple and brown sheds light on aspects of human civilization.
Purple's rarity made it historically valueable. The complex production process meant only wealthy, high-status individuals could afford purple. It became associated with imperial power, nobility, prestige, and wealth.
Brown's ubiquity gave it a very different cultural meaning. Since browns were abundant in nature, they were used by commoners and peasants throughout history. Brown became associated with humility, poverty, and informality.
The sacred meaning of purple also led it to be adopted by religious leaders and movements. In contrast, plain brown was chosen by groups like medieval friars to demonstrate their vows of poverty.
Both colors are linked to status – purple with high status, and brown with low. Their contrast illustrates how color meaning is strongly shaped by availability and historic use.
Modern Use of Purple and Brown
Despite their long cultural histories, purple and brown remain extremely common colors today. Here are some of their modern uses:
| Purple | Brown | |
|---|---|---|
| Government | Furniture | |
| Royalty | Packaging | |
| Fashion | Leather goods | |
| Interiors | Timber products | |
| Makeup | Soil | |
| Food coloring | Animals |
Purple retains regal and luxurious associations in fields like fashion, cosmetics, and interiors. On the other hand, brown remains pervasive in nature and down-to-earth materials like wood, leather, and earth tones.
Both colors are now affordable artificial dyes, widely used in clothing and decorative arts. But their traditional symbolic meanings still influence how they are perceived.
Conclusion
The histories of purple and brown provide insight into color symbolism across cultures. Purple's rare beauty made it prestigious and elite. Brown's earthy omnipresence gave it humble, rustic associations. Both colors had to be actively produced by early humans from natural pigments. But purple production was far more complex and labor-intensive. These factors shaped their very different cultural meanings. Today purple and brown remain staple colors with evolving symbolism across many realms of life. Their rich histories are preserved, even as fashions and technologies transform how the colors are imagined and used in the modern world.
