Ross,
        I too am looking for samples of shell dyed purple cloth.  In 1965,
when I was in Oaxaca, mexico, I saw people dying yarns in this way.  In the
1980's there was a Japanese documentary that showed the Oaxacan Indians
dying cloth using Purpura patula pansa.  It was interesting in that they
didn't destroy the animal like the Romans did.  They squeezed the animal
juices onto the yarn and place the animal back on the rocks to be used
again next year or to reproduce.  As the process is very time consuming the
native peoples are using yarns that are predyed.  They also went to San
Blas Islands (Panama) and taped the Cunas dying red with caterpillers.  It
was a great program.  I taped it and gave it to The Hebrew University in
Los Angeles for their anthropology dept.
If you find a source for purple dyed cloth from shells let me know also.
Dan

>I am trying to obtain a sample of material dyed "Royal Purple", by any of
>the various species used
>for this interesting and ancient process: any ideas on where to look??
>Cheers,
>Ross M.

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