Purple is the most mysterious and elusive color in the spectrum, and the rarest color found in nature. The expense of purple pigments is responsible for its association with royalty throughout history – a distinction for which it is best known. Garments dyed with the Tyrian purple manufactured from murex snails were a status symbol throughout Europe and Asia, and for many centuries were worn only by the wealthiest tier of society, including kings and queens, giving rise to the name “royal purple.” For the Phoenicians who originally produced this dye, the color became a national signature; their name comes from the Greek “phoinikes” meaning “purple.”

Elsewhere in the world, the indigo and purple shells of certain clams and whelks were ground into wampum beads by Native Americans of the eastern seaboard. These beads were woven into belts for record-keeping purposes and for legal and ceremonial contracts.

Purple combines characteristics of both cool and warm color groups, making it balanced and tranquil. It is easily incorporated as a secondary color anywhere black, blues, or browns are used, and is best balanced by accent colors with opposite characteristics, such as yellow or orange.

Q: What’s the difference between purple and violet?
A: Purple is a color, the combination of blue and red. Violet is a light signature or a range in the light spectrum. It marks the far end of the visible light spectrum and has the lowest wavelength and the highest frequency humans can see short of the ultraviolet range. True violet can’t be reproduced through the primary color scheme, so for all practical purposes, we use purple.

National Geographic Photo Gallery: Life in Color – Purple