“The Rambam also has ” vedamo shachor” (citation eludes me), though in treifos, Rashi and Tos make “ukma” “k’kuchla” to differentiate form kediuta (ink black).”
Ok. Pliny the elder when describing the Murex Trunculus writes ” ….when it has exactly the colour of clotted blood, and is of a blackish hue to the sight”
If this is not enough for you than there is pictures in back of a kuntress called ???? ?? ??? which is available by a quick search.
“As posted by Y.T. in the old techeles thread, techeles is referenced (citation in old thread) as nignaz. So the great palette (npi) of sources on techeles is not a “how to find it” manual.”
Who says Nignaz means you cannot find it? Rashi psachim 62b (and the eitz yosef on the Medrash of nignaz quotes rashi) that nignaz means forgotten. BUt the rosh and rif bring down the halachos of techeiles. And the MAharil and chemdas shlomo and Malbim clearly write how it can be found bizman hazeh…..I think we were already maarich on this topic in another thread see : http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/techeiles-1
“No one, other than the replacement experts at the Temple Institute, has gone looking for the Aron, the hatzosros, the ketores, or the nechash hanechoshet”
Well is there a mitzvah to wear an aron on your tzitzis?
Patur- about needing strong rayos I think the ksav yad of the Rambam is the best raya you can get.
Yarok= ??’ ????’ ???? ??: ?”? ????? ?????, ??’ ????? ???? ?? ??? ????, ??”? ???”? (??”? ??? ?), ??? ??’ ?????? ???? (?? ????”? ??”?, ??”? ?????; ???’ ??? ????? ??’ ? ??? ? ????? ????? ?? ????? ??? “??? ???? ???? ????? ??? ????? ????? [????] ??? ?????”, ???”? ?”? ??, ???? ??”? ????? ??? (?? ??”? ??) “??? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ???