orpiment, زرنیخ

Ingredients

orpiment stone, water, Arabic gum, sesame oil

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Recipe 1 (Hilyat al-kuttab, 1495): 'If anyone wants to get orpiment, pound the orpiment stone with water in a mortar, then mix with Arabic gum water until it becomes smooth and clear.' (Table 1, p. 23). Recipe 2 (Khatt va Morakkab, 16th c.): 'Orpiment should be ground well and cooked, add cold water and gum Arabic to it.' (Table 1, p. 23). Recipe 3 (Kashf al-Sanāye', 19th c.): 'The orpiment is pounded in water or sesame oil in the form of fine grains. If pounded with water in a mortar, after drying under the sun, mix with sesame oil; if pounded in a mortar with sesame oil, it is not necessary to dry under the sun, mix with sesame oil and use.' (Table 1, p. 23).

Evidence

"spectroscopy and Microscopy methods were used to examine the pigments and colors made from them based on different treatises such as 'Haliya al-Katab', 'ink and Bookbinding', and also 'Ink and Calligraphy'."

Remarks

The experimental paint (ink) was prepared using three distinct historical methods. In FTIR analysis (p. 27), sesame oil was identified by the presence of a carbonyl group (C=O) at 1740 cm-1, CH=CH vibrations at 720 cm-1, and O-C at 1160 cm-1. Arabic gum was identified by O-C vibrations in the 900-1200 cm-1 range. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the binders do not interfere with the detection of the orpiment pigment itself (p. 26). The 'cooking' step in the Safavid-era recipe (Khatt va Morakkab) is noted (p. 23).