{"id":26642,"date":"2025-09-11T07:00:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T11:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/?p=26642"},"modified":"2025-09-10T11:54:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T15:54:14","slug":"what-color-was-tekhelet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/ancient-cultures\/what-color-was-tekhelet\/","title":{"rendered":"What Color Was Tekhelet?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_26648\" style=\"width: 270px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/ancient-tekhelet.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26648\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-26648 lazyload\" title=\"ancient-tekhelet\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/ancient-tekhelet-260x191.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"260\" height=\"191\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 260px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 260\/191;\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-26648\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Do the blue <em>tzitzit<\/em> strings of this traditional Jewish prayer shawl reflect the shade of blue in the Bible, called <em>tekhelet<\/em> in Hebrew? Evidence suggests the <em>tekhelet<\/em> that colored ancient blue <em>tzitzit<\/em> was sky-blue and derived from murex dye.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In the Bible, a shade of blue called <em>tekhelet<\/em> was God\u2019s chosen color for the ancient Israelites. <em>Tekhelet<\/em> drapes adorned Solomon\u2019s Temple, and <em>tekhelet<\/em> robes were worn by Israel\u2019s high priests. According to Baruch and Judy Taubes Sterman in <a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/archaeological-views-the-great-tekhelet-debate-blue-or-purple\/\">\u201cThe Great <em>Tekhelet<\/em> Debate\u2014Blue or Purple?\u201d<\/a> in the September\/October 2013 issue of <strong>BAR<\/strong>, even ordinary Israelites \u201cwere commanded to tie one string of <em>tekhelet<\/em> to the corner fringes (Hebrew, <em>tzitzit<\/em>) of their garments as a constant reminder of their special relationship with God\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Numbers.15.39?lang=bi&#038;aliyot=0\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Numbers 15:38\u201339<\/a>). The tradition of blue <em>tzitzit<\/em> still exists today.<\/p>\n<p>But what was the actual color of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-artifacts\/artifacts-and-the-bible\/ancient-fabric-dyed-biblical-blue\/\">ancient <em>tekhelet<\/em><\/a> and blue <em>tzitzit<\/em>? Was it a shade of blue or was it closer to purple? Blue <em>tzitzit<\/em> and <em>tekhelet<\/em>-colored fabrics were widely worn and traded throughout the ancient Mediterranean, but by the Roman period, only the emperor could wear <em>tekhelet<\/em>. By the seventh century C.E., with the Islamic conquest of the Levant, the <em>tekhelet\u2019s<\/em> source and method of manufacture were lost.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n\n\t\t<div id=\"mailing_list_ebook_page\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class='gravity_form_mailing_list'>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"downloadFormSec esolshortwrap\">\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-3 col-sm-3 mb-4 mb-md-0\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img data-src='https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2014\/05\/life-in-the-ancient-world-ebook-e1585324350938.jpg.avif' class='esolsetnewimg smush-dimensions lazyload' width='125' style='--smush-image-width: 125px; --smush-image-aspect-ratio: 125\/166;' src='data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==' data-smush-avif-fallback='{&quot;data-src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/05\\\/life-in-the-ancient-world-ebook-e1585324350938.jpg&quot;}'>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-9 col-sm-9\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-sm-12\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>FREE eBook:<strong> Life in the Ancient World<\/strong>.<br\/> Craft centers in Jerusalem, family structure across Israel and ancient practices\u2014from dining to makeup\u2014through the Mediterranean world.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\nvar 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*\/\n<\/script>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<!-- download link -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div id=\"eBook_download_link\" name=\"eBook_download_link\">\n\n\t\t\t<button onclick=\"location.href='https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/life_in_the_ancient_world.pdf'\">DOWNLOAD EBOOK<\/button>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<hr \/>\n<p>A century ago, Isaac Herzog, who would later become Israel\u2019s first chief rabbi, researched <em>tekhelet<\/em> for his dissertation. He concluded that blue in the Bible was a bright sky-blue derived from the secretions of a sea snail, <em>Murex trunculus<\/em>.<a id=\"note01r\" href=\"#note01\">*<\/a> This species was known to produce a murex dye the color of dark purple. Decades after Herzog\u2019s death, chemist Otto Elsner proved that murex dye could in fact produce a sky-blue color by exposing the snail secretions to ultraviolet rays during the dyeing process. Sky-blue <em>tzitzit<\/em>, then, could be made with murex dye.<\/p>\n<p>Despite Elsner\u2019s discovery, the debate around the color of <em>tekhelet<\/em> continued. Dissenters argued that the ancient dyers, who created dyes in covered vats, likely didn\u2019t know how to adjust the dye colors using the sun\u2019s ultraviolet rays. Eleventh-century Biblical exegete Rashi described <em>tekhelet<\/em> as a deep blue or dark violet. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/ancient-cultures\/ancient-israel\/earliest-example-of-biblical-scarlet-discovered\/\">A violet swatch of wool discovered during excavations at the first-century Herodian fortress of Masada<\/a> was proven to have been colored by murex dye.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>In a letter to <strong>BAR<\/strong>, Professor Zvi C. Koren, director of the Edelstein Center for the Analysis of Ancient Artifacts at the Shenker College of Engineering and Design in Ramat Gan, Israel, criticizes the Stermans\u2019 analysis, to which the Stermans have replied. Visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/archaeology-today\/biblical-archaeology-topics\/scholars-study-the-great-tekhelet-debate\/\">BAS <strong>Scholar\u2019s Study: The Great <em>Tekhelet <\/em>Debate<\/strong><\/a><\/em> page today.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>However, important evidence persuasively suggest that Biblical <em>tekhelet<\/em> was in fact sky-blue. Assyriologist Wayne Horowitz explains that the Sumerian word <em>uqnu<\/em>, the word for the gem lapis lazuli, was used for the color blue and its shades. The term was applied to the sky and to blue wool (<em>uqnatu<\/em>). When the foreign word <em>takiltu<\/em>, Hebrew <em>tekhelet<\/em>, was adopted into Akkadian, the same cuneiform signs as uqnatu were used. To the ancient Mesopotamians, therefore, the color of lapis lazuli and the sky were equivalent to the color of <em>tekhelet<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>So what was the color of Biblical <em>tekhelet<\/em>? The Jerusalem-based <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tekhelet.com\/tekhelet\/introduction-to-tekhelet\/\">Ptil Tekhelet Foundation<\/a> believes it was sky-blue derived from the murex dye. For over 25 years, this foundation has produced hundreds of thousands of blue <em>tzitzit<\/em> strings colored with murex dye. The blue <em>tzitzit<\/em> on Jewish prayer shawls remind worshipers of the sea, the sky and God\u2019s holy throne.<\/p>\n<hr style=\"width:33%;\"\/>\n<p><strong>BAS Library Members:<\/strong> Read the full article on ancient <em>tekhelet<\/em> by Baruch and Judy Taubes Sterman in Archaeological Views, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/archaeological-views-the-great-tekhelet-debate-blue-or-purple\/\">The Great <em>Tekhelet<\/em> Debate\u2014Blue or Purple?<\/a>\u201d as it appears in the <a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/issue\/september-october-2013\/\">September\/October 2013 issue of <em>Biblical Archaeology Review<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Not a <em>BAS<\/em> Library or All-Access Member yet? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/subscribe-new\/?utm_term=W26009B0\">Join today.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4>Notes<\/h4>\n<p><a id=\"note01\" href=\"#note01r\">*<\/a> See Ari Greenspan, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/the-search-for-biblical-blue\/\">The Search for Biblical Blue<\/a>,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/br-issue\/february-2003\/\"><em>Bible Review<\/em>, February 2003<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4 style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">Related reading in <em>Bible History Daily<\/em><\/h4>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"qAbu6iksXS\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/archaeology-today\/biblical-archaeology-topics\/regarding-the-color-of-tekelehet\/\">Regarding the Color of Tekhelet<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Regarding the Color of Tekhelet&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/archaeology-today\/biblical-archaeology-topics\/regarding-the-color-of-tekelehet\/embed\/#?secret=tI3IXoebOk#?secret=qAbu6iksXS\" data-secret=\"qAbu6iksXS\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"V2DaodkWEQ\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/archaeology-today\/biblical-archaeology-topics\/baruch-and-judy-taubes-sterman-respond\/\">Baruch and Judy Taubes Sterman Respond<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Baruch and Judy Taubes Sterman Respond&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/archaeology-today\/biblical-archaeology-topics\/baruch-and-judy-taubes-sterman-respond\/embed\/#?secret=qW9EOKK8C1#?secret=V2DaodkWEQ\" data-secret=\"V2DaodkWEQ\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"RY306yEa4N\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-artifacts\/artifacts-and-the-bible\/zvi-c-korens-reply-to-the-stermans-response\/\">Zvi C. Koren&#8217;s Reply to the Stermans&#8217; Response<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Zvi C. Koren&#8217;s Reply to the Stermans&#8217; Response&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-artifacts\/artifacts-and-the-bible\/zvi-c-korens-reply-to-the-stermans-response\/embed\/#?secret=GvkFvbBGKY#?secret=RY306yEa4N\" data-secret=\"RY306yEa4N\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"4lPpv9d3Ay\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/news\/ancient-fabric-dyed-biblical-blue\/\">Ancient Fabric Dyed Biblical Blue?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Ancient Fabric Dyed Biblical Blue?&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/news\/ancient-fabric-dyed-biblical-blue\/embed\/#?secret=D7qfSvxmo6#?secret=4lPpv9d3Ay\" data-secret=\"4lPpv9d3Ay\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"hxmOYsRxEu\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/ancient-cultures\/ancient-israel\/earliest-example-of-biblical-scarlet-discovered\/\">Earliest Example of \u201cBiblical Scarlet\u201d Discovered<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Earliest Example of \u201cBiblical Scarlet\u201d Discovered&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/ancient-cultures\/ancient-israel\/earliest-example-of-biblical-scarlet-discovered\/embed\/#?secret=yScyQRW0A3#?secret=hxmOYsRxEu\" data-secret=\"hxmOYsRxEu\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:2em 0;\">All-Access members, read more in the <em>BAS Library<\/em><\/h4>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"YUyvRQeidl\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/archaeological-views-the-great-tekhelet-debate-blue-or-purple\/\">Archaeological Views: The Great Tekhelet Debate\u2014Blue or Purple?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Archaeological Views: The Great Tekhelet Debate\u2014Blue or Purple?&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/archaeological-views-the-great-tekhelet-debate-blue-or-purple\/embed\/#?secret=baOc7L8TL9#?secret=YUyvRQeidl\" data-secret=\"YUyvRQeidl\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"UKhGSb2T6l\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/the-search-for-biblical-blue\/\">The Search for Biblical Blue<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;The Search for Biblical Blue&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/the-search-for-biblical-blue\/embed\/#?secret=1ODjnHDTLz#?secret=UKhGSb2T6l\" data-secret=\"UKhGSb2T6l\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"VsoFYDgqeB\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/arch-tech-purple-threads-from-the-days-of-david-and-solomon\/\">Arch-Tech: Purple Threads from the Days of David and Solomon<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Arch-Tech: Purple Threads from the Days of David and Solomon&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/arch-tech-purple-threads-from-the-days-of-david-and-solomon\/embed\/#?secret=m7WBANegEP#?secret=VsoFYDgqeB\" data-secret=\"VsoFYDgqeB\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"NgU9ED8rk5\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/sidebar\/deities-and-dogs-their-sacred-rites\/\">Deities and Dogs\u2014Their Sacred Rites<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Deities and Dogs\u2014Their Sacred Rites&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/sidebar\/deities-and-dogs-their-sacred-rites\/embed\/#?secret=5SV6YJX3o5#?secret=NgU9ED8rk5\" data-secret=\"NgU9ED8rk5\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"enL0v05dG8\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/jeremiahs-polemic-against-idols\/\">Jeremiah\u2019s Polemic Against Idols<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Jeremiah\u2019s Polemic Against Idols&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/jeremiahs-polemic-against-idols\/embed\/#?secret=5ZbTdfOYiq#?secret=enL0v05dG8\" data-secret=\"enL0v05dG8\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"margin:2em 0;\">\n<p><strong>Not a <em>BAS<\/em> Library or All-Access Member yet? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/subscribe-new\/?utm_term=W26009B0\">Join today.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr\/>\n<p><small><em>This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in 2013.<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the Bible, a shade of blue called tekhelet was God\u2019s chosen color for the ancient Israelites. Tekhelet drapes adorned Solomon\u2019s Temple, and tekhelet robes were worn by Israel\u2019s high priests. What was the actual color of ancient tekhelet and tzitzit?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":26653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[366,375],"tags":[27,28,31,961,117,108,109,40,1356,1404,1570,1572,1653,1654,42,43,44,45,12,2341,2353,2753,3506,5032,5108,60,140,6850,145,73,344,150,14,11199,261,85,12139,285],"class_list":["post-26642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ancient-cultures","category-news","tag-ancient-art","tag-ancient-artifacts","tag-ancient-israel","tag-ancient-israelites","tag-ancient-jerusalem","tag-ancient-near","tag-ancient-near-east","tag-archaeology-review","tag-archaeology-today-2","tag-artifacts-and-the-bible-2","tag-baruch","tag-bas-library","tag-bib-arch","tag-bib-arch-org","tag-bible-history","tag-bible-history-daily","tag-bible-review","tag-biblical-arch","tag-biblical-archaeology-review","tag-biblical-archaeology-topics","tag-biblical-artifacts","tag-books-of-the-old-testament","tag-cuneiform","tag-fortress-of-masada","tag-free-ebooks","tag-hebrew","tag-herod","tag-isaac","tag-israelites","tag-jerusalem-2","tag-life-in-the-ancient-world","tag-masada","tag-old-testament","tag-robin-ngo","tag-roman-period","tag-solomon","tag-tekhelet","tag-the-old-testament"],"acf":[],"nelio_content":{"autoShareEndMode":"never","automationSources":{"useCustomSentences":false,"customSentences":[]},"efiAlt":"","efiUrl":"","followers":[19],"highlights":[],"isAutoShareEnabled":true,"networkImageIds":[],"permalinkQueryArgs":[],"series":[],"suggestedReferences":[]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Color Was Tekhelet? - Biblical Archaeology Society<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the Bible, a shade of blue called tekhelet was God\u2019s chosen color for the ancient Israelites. 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