silver ink
Byzantium
14th Century
Source: Martelli, M. (2023). Late Byzantine Alchemical Recipe Books: Metallurgy, Pharmacology, and Cuisine. In Baki, C. & Eneyni, R. (Eds.), Policy Advisory Systems in Autocracies (pp. 336-353). Cambridge University Press.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
calcined lead, egg white
Preparation Steps
Take calcined lead, moisten or 'wet' the substance with egg white, and grind the mixture thoroughly before using it to write (p. 347).
Original Recipe Text
Take calcined lead, moisten or 'wet' the substance with egg white, and grind the mixture thoroughly before using it to write (p. 347).
Evidence
"Explication of how to write in silver letters. Take calcined lead, wet with egg white and grind, then write."
Remarks
This recipe uses lead as a substitute for precious silver metal. The author notes that the use of lead for silver inks is less frequent in Latin and Syriac sources compared to tin (p. 348).
Scientific Analysis
Chemical CompositionPb
Analytical Techniques
philological analysis
Certainty Level
Inferred
Instrumentally Verified
Not Verified
Metadata
Material Type
ink
BinderAlbumen
ColorSilver
RegionByzantium
Approx. Year1350
Source Information
AuthorMartelli, M.
CollectionMS Bononiensis 1808, f. 46v
Language
N/A
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