Purpura is the Latin
name of a particular kind of shellfish which, when ground up,
produces a bright purple dye, which in turn was taken from the
Greek word porphura to describe the same sea creature. The word
purpura later began to refer to the dye, and eventually the color
of this dye. This dye was very expensive, and purple was
considered a color of royalty throughout Europe. When this dye was
exported to England, the word purple was imported into English as
well. Today "purpura" is used by doctors to describe purplish
discolorations of the skin.
The Egyptian queen Cleopatra loved purple. To obtain one ounce of
Tyrian purple dye, she had her servants soak 20,000 Purpura snails
for 10 days.
In Thailand, purple is worn by a widow mourning her husband's
death.
A “purple heart” is a U.S. military decoration for soldiers
wounded or killed in battle.
Purple is a royal color.
Purple robes are an emblem of authority and rank.
“Purple speech” is profane talk.
“Purple prose” is writing that is full of exaggerated literary
effects and ornamentation.
Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases
10 times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of
stained glass.
Purple in a child's room is said to help develop the imagination,
according to color theory.
Richard Wagner composed his operas in a room with shades of
violet, his color of inspiration.