Ivory-working in the ancient world

Not sure if anyone can help me with this, but does anyone know about the history of ivory staining? I don't mean to fake a patina, but to dye it different colours for decorative purposes. Which dyes would they have used on ivory? I want to find out how, or indeed if, they achieved purple and red. My period is approx 1250 BC, Greece. There was widespread trade with Africa, Asia and Europe. Sadly, there's not much info on the internet.

Thanks Scott! I was thinking madder, alkanet (from the Levant), or cochineal (from kermes oak). I've no idea if any of these can be used for ivory. I'll check out your suggestions. Since the Phoenicians were big dye exporters in the Bronze Age too, the Mycenaeans might have imported your Phoenician dyes to colour their own ivory, whether or not the Phoenicians exported stained ivory.

Medievalist, yes, that's a great idea. Problem is, no examples of Mycenaean stained ivories survive. I've now found some references in the Linear B tablets and Homer. The Linear B speaks of 'chariots veneered with ivory, fully assembled, crimson coloured'. The Iliad has a simile where Maionian or Karian women colour ivory with purple. The Carians might be my answer, since they were kicking around in the Bronze Age, while the Maeonians were Iron Age. At least I know wealthy kings did possess objects of stained ivory, and in nice royal colours too. That should be enough, even if I don't find out what dyes they used.

There is some evidence the Trojans, too, might have manufactured dye from murex shells. 'Trojan purple', eh? I'm just not sure if these dyes, all of the above, could be used on ivory. It's difficult to find this sort of info. I'll keep looking though. Thanks, Puma!

Thanks, Puma! This is interesting. I checked Wiki for sal ammoniac, and it says it 'is also the archaic name for the chemical compound ammonium chloride; from Greek, ἅλς ἀμμωνιακός hals ammoniakos, salt of Ammon, because of its early manufacture in Egypt.' I wonder if the Mycenaeans understood these chemical processes (I certainly don't ).