As the 33rd Summer Olympic Games approach, the global spotlight will soon be cast upon Paris, France, where an unprecedented visual feature will be showcased: a purple track field. Unlike the commonly used red or blue, the choice of purple for the race tracks is to create a more striking contrast with the spectator seats and to enhance the viewing experience for the audience.
The choice of purple is not without significance, as the color is reminiscent of the blooming lavender in Provence. Although purple is quite common in nature, especially in the plant kingdom, found in various flowers like lavender, violets, lilacs, and even some ripe vegetables such as eggplants, purple pigments or dyes were once hard to obtain rarities in the dawn of human civilization, with only a few countries adopting purple as a color in their national flags.
The use of purple in early human history can be traced back to about 20,000 years ago in the Neolithic period, as evidenced by the signs in the cave paintings of Pech Merle in France. The inhabitants used manganese-containing minerals to create purple totems. However, stable purple ore is extremely rare in nature, and natural plant pigments like anthocyanins are hard to stabilize, their colors being susceptible to changes in pH, limiting their use as dyes for textiles.
A pivotal moment across the ages occurred around 1500 BC when the Phoenicians on the eastern Mediterranean coast discovered murex snails which could be used to produce stable purple dyes. This breakthrough made the Phoenicians the leading traders of purple dye and hence they were nicknamed “the people of the purple country.” The purple dye was favored by the ancient Roman nobility, symbolizing nobility and luxury, but the process of obtaining purple dye was not only complex but also extremely low in yield, requiring tens of thousands of snails to produce just 1 gram of dye. Therefore, purple became an exclusive symbol of the Roman emperors and nobility.
Additionally, China, one of the ancient Eastern civilizations, was also exploring the use of purple, with traces of purple discovered on the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, signifying the ancient pursuit of purple’s unique allure.
Purple has always been seen as a symbol of nobility and mystery, a color once expensive and difficult to obtain. However, with the development of history and advancement of technology, our understanding and manufacturing methods of purple pigments have been completely renewed.
Once upon a time, investigating the fleeting glimpse of purple on the surface of the Terracotta Army of the Qin Dynasty in China proved to be a challenging endeavor, until the 1990s when scholars finally unraveled the mystery of this color. They discovered that the purple pigment was not a product of nature but an artificially synthesized material called barium copper silicate, known as Chinese purple or Han purple, proving the advanced synthetic pigment technology of ancient China.
History continues to progress, and humans have made great strides in the research and development of purple pigments. In the early 19th century, the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt discovered massive guano deposits, formed from seabird feces, near Peru. These seemingly insignificant bird droppings were used by the British to extract ammonium purpurate—a purple dye precursor. However, due to the air pollution at the time, which filled the air with sulfur compounds, purple clothes dyed with ammonium purpurate were prone to fading. Therefore, in the quest for a more stable purple, scientists continued their research efforts.
On the path of scientific exploration, accidental discoveries sometimes bring revolutionary results. In 1856, British scientist William Perkin, while attempting to synthesize quinine, accidentally discovered a purple solution. This solution, when it stained clothing, was difficult to wash off. Perkin realized this and eventually invented the first synthetic dye—mauveine. This invention not only brought him great wealth but also allowed purple to shed its expensive tag.
Since then, purple dye began to proliferate, no longer exclusive to royalty and nobility, but became one of the colors that ordinary families could enjoy. The legendary story of purple, from its rarity in nature to its commonality in synthetic production, displays the outstanding results of human ingenuity and exploration.
In the long history of human civilization, purple has always played a role as a symbol of continuous pursuit and exploration of the unknown. In the upcoming Paris Olympics, the eye-catching purple track will set a new fashion benchmark, opening a new chapter in the history of “purple”. The track used for the Olympics is primarily composed of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, mineral compounds, pigments, and various additives, more than half of which are made from recycled materials or renewable resources.
This charming purple track will carry the dreams of athletes sprinting at top speed. What legends will arise on the track, and the untold stories that are eagerly anticipated. In exploring the literature on humanity’s pursuit of purple, we can see that purple not only holds an important place in technological advancements but also plays a vibrant role in the long river of historical culture. Various studies and discussions, such as those on the purple pigments in the painted terracotta warriors, showcase the mystique and allure of purple.
The innovation in track color is not just a shift in fashion; it also symbolizes technological advancement and an emphasis on environmental protection. As we witness new records set on this track, we also appreciate an era of new exploration and practice. Let us wait for the outstanding performances of the athletes at the Olympic Games, and for the infinite surprises and insights brought by the purple track.
