iron filings

Ingredients

iron filings, vinegar, pomegranate rinds, lemon water, myrobalan water

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Take iron filings and throw them into a clean, tinned pot. Fill the pot with vinegar and leave it for two or three days. Adding pomegranate rinds is beneficial. Dip a piece of wool or felt into the mixture to dye the leather. To remove stains from hands, dip them in lemon water. Washing the leather with boiled pomegranate rinds can improve the blackness. Using myrobalan water further enhances the black color. Spread pomegranate rinds, let them soak, and leave until dry.

Evidence

"Take a tinned pot of the inside and outside, clean it well, and take iron filings from the pure nails, then throw them into the pot and fill it with [vinegar] $^{(3)}$ and leave it for two or three days until it takes [its strength] $^{(4)}$ and levels out"

Remarks

The recipe describes a method for creating a black dye using iron filings and vinegar. Pomegranate rinds and myrobalan (ihlilaj) are used to enhance the color. Lemon water is used to remove the dye from skin.