iandol on thu 20 dec 01
Dear Carole Rishel,=20
You say <colour purple. Through the process of evolution our perceptions of =
colour become finer. >>
As I understand it, the Greeks and the Romans sacrificed millions of =
Murex sea molluscs to produce a Regal Dyestuff called Tyrian Purple. And =
the Ancient Brits collected a plant called Woad to produce a similar =
colour. In SE Asia they used the Indigo Bush for the same purpose. Then, =
about a hundred and seventy five years ago a German chemist synthesised =
the first dyestuff of a similar hue from Coal Tar. No do I believe that =
plants such as the Violet which gives its name to a similar hue or the =
Echinacia evolved within the past couple of centuries or that we have =
recently developed the ability to discriminate among hues beyond the =
blue end of the spectrum.
An interesting proposition, but one which seems erroneous when you =
consider the historic record.
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis,
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