A fragment of purple fabric, a sacred chiton (tunic), found in a royal tomb in Vergina, Macedonia, northern Greece, could be that of Alexander the Great! The team of archaeologists uncovered a cotton textile dyed in purple that aligns with ancient accounts of the sarapis , a ceremonial garment worn by Persian kings, which Alexander adopted after his victory over Darius III. The textile was found in the golden ossuary of Tomb II, along with the remains of a male individual and a golden oak wreath. A Regal Fabric: Tyrian Purple of Alexander The study, led by Antonis Bartsiokas from Democritus University of Thrace, has been published in The Journal of Field Archaeology .
After conducting a series of chemical, physical, and microscopic analyses, the researcher team concluded that the fabric is cotton, a rare material during that period. The royal tunic Alexander wore was dyed with " Tyrian purple ," a color reserved for royalty across many ancient cultures. This color emphasized his rank and imperial dominance.
Purple was a rare luxury, symbolizing wealth, power, and divinity. Roman Elites Alone Wore Tyrian Purple, Maintaining Social Hierarchy Tunisian Man Rediscovers Secret of Priceless Ancient Purple Dye Part of the frieze of Tomb II showing hunter six (Alexander the Great) wearing a sarapis with two whitish stripes (layers) between the purple ones, which correspond to those of the material in the male ossuary of Tomb II. (A.
Bartsiokas/ Journal of Field Archaeology ) They also.
