What amazes me is that an organic dye of this nature is still viable and recognizable after ~2000 years in the ground. Seems to me this ought to spur on furthe

What amazes me is that an organic dye of this nature is still viable and recognizable after ~2000 years in the ground. Seems to me this ought to spur on further research into the chemical. (Given its nature and the way I've seen it prepared these days (on video, not in person) that it would have been much less stable (many organic dyes are very unstable). This stability also suggests it must have been rather stable in use (togas dyed with it, etc.). Its stability would have made it even more valuable than otherwise.