Shouts of excitement reverberate through a busy archaeological site – something strange has been spotted peeping out of the ground. Is it some fabulous gem? Or an opulent piece of ancient jewelry crafted from precious metals? Well actually, no. Instead, it’s a vivid piece of purple fabric that has caused such animation at Timna, a corner of Israel that was once the site of a mineral mine. But while the tuft of half-buried textile might admittedly seem a little shabby to the untrained eye it is, in fact, even more valuable than gold...