Exactly what was this coccus-scarlet material mentioned by Moses in his description of the tabernacle, Israel's ancient center of worship and the High Priest's clothing, as the writing of Pliny, a Roman historian?
Moses at Exodus 26: 1 and Exodus 38:18 says tent cloths forming the walls and gate of the tabernacle...were made of "blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen." and at Exodus 28: 1-6 he mentions that the garments of the high priest were also made using a coccus-scarlet material.
His reference to a coccus-scarlet is a dye extracted from the bodies of female insects of the Coccidae family -- found in the Middle East as well as the Mediterranean areas on lermes oak tree.
Since it is the eggs that actually contained the dye harvesters waited until the wingless female, about the size and shape of a pea, was filled with these eggs and then plucked them off the oak trees.
The females were then crushed to release the water soluble dye for dyeing linen, wool, and other materials used in the clothing of the Israelite priests as well as high ranking officials in other countries such as Italy.
It was a rich, highly esteemed color before and after the time of Jesus Christ.
( Biblical History of David and Edom Below)
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