<human>:  Were mollusks an ingredient in the color purple?
<bot>: Yes, mollusks were an ingredient in the color purple. Mollusks are a group of invertebrate animals including snails and slugs. Purple dye was used in the early 15th century BC to color clothing. The purple dye used in ancient Tyre was made from a liquid extracted from a gland in snails. So mollusks were an ingredient in the color purple.