Purple Haze All in My Eyes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Phoenician

The origin of the natural pigment known as Tyrian purple is believed to go back to the 15th century BC, when the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon started producing the dye from the secretions of two species of large sea snails of the family Muricidae.

Tyrian purple (also known as royal or imperial purple) was so expensive because of the long, tedious process involved in its making, and for its unique property of turning brighter (rather than fading) when exposed to sunlight. The two molluscs used in the production of the yielded two different shades of purple: one, extracted from the spiny-dye murex (Bolinus brandaris), was a dark purple-red, while the other, extracted from the banded dye-murex (Hexaplex trunculus), was a purplish indigo known as "royal blue". The anatomy of the purple murex snails and their harvesting were described by Aristotle in his "History of Animals" (4th century BC), while the manufacturing of the dye was described in detail by Pliny the Elder in his "Natural History" (77-79 AD).

The production of Tyrian purple was essential for the development of the Phoenician civilization - so much that it has been suggested that the name Phoenicia means "land of purple". The lucrative industry also thrived in the Phoenician colonies in North Africa. Purple became such a coveted commodity that its production continued unabated in Greek and Roman times, and lasted until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. In the Byzantine Empire, the use of purple was restricted to the imperial family, and a child of a reigning emperor was said to be "born in the purple" ("porphyrogenitos").

The photo shows some silk pieces dyed various shades of purple in a real purple bath.

Answer: drunkenness

The birthstone for the month of February, amethyst is a semi-precious stone that occurs in various hues of purple and violet. It is the most valuable variety of quartz (chemically a form of silica, or silicon dioxide), widely used in jewellery. In the past, it was considered one of the cardinal (most valuable) gemstones, but in more recent times the discovery of large amethyst deposits in Brazil has considerably lowered its value.

Amethyst crystals are often found lining the interior of agate geodes: one such geode, found in southern Brazil in the early 20th century, was so large that it was nicknamed "the Amethyst Grotto". The stone is also mined in other parts of the world, such as the US, Canada, Madagascar, and Russia: some particularly fine specimens of amethyst come from the latter country, and the most prized (and rare) colour variety is called "Deep Russian". Amethyst is also the official gemstone of the southern US state of South Carolina.

The name "amethyst" comes from the Hellenistic (Koine) Greek "amethystos", which means "not intoxicated". In Ancient Greece, it was believed that the stone would protect its wearer from the effects of drinking too much alcohol: for this reason, drinking vessels were often carved out of amethyst, in the belief that drinking wine out of them would not lead to drunkenness. In antiquity, amethyst - which is relatively easy to cut - was popular for intaglio engraved gems, such as the one in the photo, a portrait of the emperor Caracalla (early 3rd century AD) from the treasury of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.

Answer: September

The European Michaelmas daisy (Aster amellus) is a perennial species of aster, a genus of herbaceous flowering plants mostly native to Eurasia. It grows wild in mountain areas across Europe and Western, Central, and South Asia, but it is also frequently cultivated in gardens. Though the wild flower is a lovely shade of lavender, some garden cultivars can also have white or pink flowers.

The Michaelmas daisy was mentioned by Latin poet Virgil in his poem "Georgics" (ca. 29 BC). Its common English name comes from its flowers being in bloom around the time of the feast of St Michael the Archangel, celebrated on 29 September by Western Christian churches. Unlike other popular garden flowers, Michaelmas daisies bloom in late summer rather earlier in the year. The generic name "aster", on the other hand, means "star" in Greek, and refers to the starlike shape of the flower head. Other common names for this flower are Italian aster and Italian starwort. They are prized in gardens because they are easy to grow, and attract butterflies and bees.

A closely related plant of similar appearance, the Alpine aster or blue alpine daisy (Aster alpinus), grows at higher elevations.

Answer: manganese

Manganese is a brittle, silvery-gray metal that shares some of the features of iron, with which it is often found in combination in minerals. Frequently used in alloys, especially in stainless steel, it is also an essential element in human diets, particularly important in the formation of bones. It has also been used as a pigment since prehistory: naturally-occurring manganese dioxide, which is brownish-black in colour, was used for writing and drawing, and also for removing the green colour from glass.

Other manganese compounds, however, are characterized by their blue or purple colour. Dark purple manganese pigments have been found in Ancient Egyptian glassware. Purpurite (manganese phosphate, in the photo) often displays a striking purple colouration, and is used in artists' materials. A pigment created in 1866 in Germany, called manganese violet, combines manganese dioxide with monoammonium phosphate and phosphoric acid. Used extensively by late 19th-century artists such as Claude Monet and Georges Seurat, it is very long-lasting and lightfast, though other artists have found it to be unsatisfactory because of its somewhat dull hue.

Answer: Dominica

Also known as imperial amazon, the sisserou parrot (Amazona imperialis) is a critically endangered parrot species found exclusively on the island of Dominica, a former British colony, part of the Lesser Antilles, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. This medium-sized bird belongs to a genus of parrots native to the Americas. It has now become so rare that it is difficult to find photos of it: in 2019, it was estimated that only 50 mature specimens remained in the wild. Among the causes of such dramatic population decline are deforestation, illegal animal trading, and also the violent hurricanes that often hit the island and the whole Caribbean region.

Sisserou parrots inhabit mountain rainforest, especially in the region of the Morne Diablotins, Dominica's highest mountain. Like all the other parrots in the Amazona genus, they are vegetarian, and primarily feed on fruit, seeds, and nuts. Males and females have identical plumage - green on the back, and dark purple on the chest. A related (and physically similar) species, the Guadaloupe amazon, is believed to have gone extinct from the neighbouring island of Guadaloupe in the 18th century.

The sisserou parrot appears on the flag of Dominica, adopted in 1978, when the island country achieved independence. Because of the parrot's presence, Dominica's flag is one of only two national flags that include the colour purple - the other being the flag of Nicaragua. Montserrat, unlike Dominica, Grenada, and Barbados, is not a sovereign country, but a British Overseas Territory.

Answer: Mardi Gras

In New Orleans, the Carnival season begins immediately after the Epiphany (6 January), and ends on Mardi Gras - meaning "Fat Tuesday" in French, as it is the last day one can indulge in rich foods before the austerity of Lent. In English it is called Shrove Tuesday , and also known as Pancake Day. It usually falls in mid-to-late February or early March. In the US, besides New Orleans, Mardi Gras is celebrated in some cities along the Gulf Coast, such as Mobile (Alabama).

According to tradition, the three official Mardi Gras colours were selected in 1872 in honour of the visit of Grand Duke Aleksei Alexandrovich Romanov, a younger brother of Tsar Alexander III of Russia. Aleksei was guest of honour at the Mardi Gras celebrations, and attended the inaugural Rex ("King of Carnival") parade. In 1892, each of the three colours was given meaning during that year's Rex parade: purple for Justice, green for Faith, and gold for Power. According to some sources, purple and gold were chosen because of their associations with royalty, and green was added in order to create a tricolour flag for the Mardi Gras celebrations.

During Mardi Gras in New Orleans, these three colours are everywhere: not only in masks, costumes, and other decorations, but also on top of the traditional "king cake" (in the form of coloured sugar or icing), and in the strings of glass (or plastic) beads that are tossed from the floats to the crowd lining the streets.

Answer: Confession

In the Catholic and Anglican Churches, purple or violet are associated with penitence and mourning. In the Roman Rite, purple/violet is one of the four colours coded by Pope Paul VI in 1969 - the others being white, green, and red. During the seasons of Advent and Lent, priests wear a purple stole and chasuble when celebrating Mass and other offices. In addition, Roman Catholic priests are required to wear a purple or violet stole when hearing Confession (officially named the Sacrament of Reconciliation), and also when administering the Anointing of the Sick (often referred to as "last rites"). When officiating funeral Mass, priests may also wear black vestments, though purple/violet is more customary. The photo shows a traditional confessional with purple curtains.

Catholic bishops and cardinals used to wear purple until the Muslim conquest of Constantinople (1453 AD), which put an end to the production of Tyrian purple. In 1464, it was decreed that cardinals should wear scarlet, and bishops a shade of pinkish purple known as amaranth.

The sacraments of Baptism and Matrimony (marriage) require white vestments, while the sacrament of Confirmation requires red ones.

Answer: Philippines

Purple yam (Dioscorea alata) is a tuber native to the Philippines, which explains why it is so popular there as an ingredient for a wide variety of desserts in gorgeous shades of purple. Many of these delicious concoctions are made with a base of boiled and mashed purple yam, mixed with sweetened condensed milk and butter, and cooked until thickened, This mixture, known as "ube halaya" (ube jelly), can be eaten on its own, with a topping of toasted coconut curds ("latik"), or incorporated into cakes, pastries, ice cream, and the popular crushed ice dessert called "halo halo". The photo shows a platter of ube rice cakes ("kalamay ube") topped with latik and cheese.

Other purple root vegetables are widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The most significant of these is taro (Colocasia esculenta), a major food staple in many parts of Asia, Africa, and Oceania, which is often confused with purple yam. Its flesh, however, is a much lighter shade of purple, and turns beige or light grey when cooked. There is also a dark purple variety of sweet potato, grown on the Japanese island of Okinawa, and known as "beni imo", and a purple variety of fingerling potato known as Purple Peruvian potato.

Answer: Gustav Klimt

Born in Vienna in 1862, Gustav Klimt is known for his involvement in the Vienna Secession movement, the Austrian version of Art Nouveau. His best-known works, such as "The Kiss" (1907-08), are characterized by vivid colours, the use of gold and silver leaf, and distinct Japanese and Byzantine influences. Purple and violet, often paired with gold, contribute to lending an air of luxury and sensuality to Klimt's stunningly individual paintings - many of which depict women, the artist's favourite subject.

The painting in the photo - titled "The Maiden" ("Die Jungfrau", 1913) - is no exception. Currently part of the collection of the National Gallery of Prague (Czech Republic), the painting is one of Klimt's last works before his death in 1918. It depicts seven women holding each other in a close embrace, surrounded by stylized flowers and wearing striking, flower-patterned robes. The young woman in the centre (the titular maiden) is dreaming of future possibilities, embodied by the women surrounding her. The ethereal sensuality of this portrayal is enhanced by the abundant use of purple, violet and blue for the flowers and the spiral shapes (a symbol of fertility) on the maiden's dress.

None of the three artists listed as wrong answers was from Central Europe: Kandinsky was Russian, Monet was French, and Munch was Norwegian.

Answer: elderberries

Elder (also elderberry or elderflower) is the common name of the flowering plants of the genus Sambucus, which are found in most of the world's temperate and subtropical regions (though mainly in the Northern Hemisphere). Popular as ornamental garden plants for their pretty foliage, white scented flowers, and clusters of glossy dark berries, they also grow quickly and abundantly in the wild as large shrubs or small trees.

The European black elder (Sambucus nigra) occurs on most of the continent, except its northernmost regions. Its dark blue or purple berries (which look almost black - hence the plant's specific name) are edible when cooked, and often made into various kinds of preserves, as well as alcoholic drinks such as elderberry wine or elderberry brandy. The flowers are also used to make syrups or carbonated soft drinks (elderflower pressé). Elderberry juice, rich in anthocyanins (the pigments responsible for the blue, purple, red, or black colour of many flowers and fruits), is employed as a natural colourant for foods, and can also be used as a dye for fibers.

Mulberries (the fruit of the Morus trees) can also be purple in colour, while cloudberries (related to raspberries and blackberries) are orange, and lingonberries (related to blueberries and cranberries) are red.