Editing Murex (section)

==Human use==
Costly and labor-intensive dyes [[Tyrian purple]] (or "royal purple") and [[tekhelet]] were historically made by the ancient [[Phoenicians]], using mucus from the [[hypobranchial gland]] of two species commonly referred to as "murex", ''Murex brandaris'' and ''Murex trunculus'', which are the older names for ''[[Bolinus brandaris]]''  and ''[[Hexaplex trunculus]]''.<ref name="sukenik21">{{cite journal |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0245897|title=Early evidence of royal purple dyed textile from Timna Valley (Israel)|year=2021|last1=Sukenik|first1=Naama|last2=Iluz|first2=David|last3=Amar|first3=Zohar|last4=Varvak|first4=Alexander|last5=Shamir|first5=Orit|last6=Ben-Yosef|first6=Erez|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=16|issue=1|pages=e0245897|pmid=33507987|pmc=7842898|bibcode=2021PLoSO..1645897S|doi-access=free}}</ref> This dye is a rare animal-produced [[organobromine compound]], which the snails make using a specific [[bromide peroxidase]] enzyme that operates on dissolved [[bromide]] in sea water.<ref>Jannun R., Nuwayhid N. and Coe E. (1981) Biological bromination – bromoperoxidase activity in the Murex sea-snail. FASEB. J. 40, 1774.</ref>
 
This dye was used in [[monarchy|royal]] robes, other kinds of special [[ceremonial]] or ritual garments, or garments indicating high [[imperial, royal and noble ranks|rank]].  It is hypothesised that the dye was the same dye as that which featured prominently in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, the clothing of the [[High Priest of Israel]] officiating there; it is sometimes still used by Jews today in the ritual fringes ([[tzitzit]]) on four-cornered garments.<ref>[http://www.tekhelet.com Tekhelet - Biblical Blue Dye for Tzitzit]</ref>  A consensus has yet to be reached regarding the Biblical source of the "blue" dye, though the latest archeological research on dyes in this region indicates that it was indeed the Murex trunculus snail that was used for the famous [[tekhelet]] ancient dye.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Newman |first=Marissa |title=Linking ancient snails to an Israeli flag in space, a common thread |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/linking-ancient-snails-to-an-israeli-flag-in-space-a-common-thread/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}}</ref>