Archaeologists unearth 3,800-year-old ‘scarlet worm’ piece of fabric mentioned in the Bible in Israel’s ‘Cave of Skulls’

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered a 3,800-year-old piece of fabric dyed in a vivid scarlet hue deep within Israel’s Judean Desert.

Found in the Cave of Skulls, this small textile fragment is believed to have been coloured using dye from oak scale insects, a substance thought to be the “scarlet worm” referenced in the Bible.

The discovery gives unprecedented insights into ancient textile production and its links to priestly garments described in biblical texts.

The team of Israeli researchers behind the extraordinary find included experts from the Israel Antiques Authority, Bar-Ilan University, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Their findings, recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, highlight the historical and cultural significance of the tiny artefact, which measures less than two centimetres in size.

Naama Sukenik, curator of the Organic Material Collection at the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained the process behind the creation of the fabric’s scarlet color.

“In ancient times, the dye was produced from female scale insects, which live on kermes oak trees,” she said.

“Collecting these insects was a highly specialised process, done in a short window of time — one month each summer — when the amount of dye was at its peak.”

This challenging process, combined with the rarity of the dye-producing insects, made scarlet a prestigious and valuable color in ancient times.

The “scarlet worm” is mentioned 25 times in biblical scripture, often alongside other prised colours like blue (tekhelet) and purple (argaman), which were similarly associated with wealth and status.

Professor Zohar Amar of Bar-Ilan University highlighted the advanced knowledge of natural dyeing reflected in these ancient texts.

“The biblical reference to a colour derived from a living creature shows impressive zoological understanding.

Female scale insects are tiny, immobile, and easily mistaken for plant material.

In fact, some ancient Greek and Roman naturalists thought they were plant granules.”

The researchers used advanced techniques, such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), to identify the specific species of insect used in the dye.

Sukenik confirmed: “We can say with high certainty that this textile was dyed using Kermes vermilio, a species of scale insect that produces kermesic acid, which gives the fabric its distinctive red hue.”

Interestingly, Kermes vermilio is not native to Israel, but is found in other Mediterranean regions, indicating long-distance trade networks that likely existed during the Middle Bronze Age.

Uri Davidovich from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem noted, “This fabric, found in a desert cave, speaks to the sophisticated knowledge of wool dyeing in the ancient world.

It also hints at extensive international trade that connected different regions as early as 3,800 years ago.”

The textile provides tangible evidence of a vibrant textile industry and hints at an elite society with access to such prestigious materials.

As Sukenik noted: “This rare find offers a bridge between ancient written sources and archaeological evidence, revealing the complexities of ancient commerce and craftsmanship.”

The discovery, made as part of a broader effort to protect Judean Desert artefacts from antiquities theft, underscores the importance of continued exploration in these historic caves.