high-quality Roman cinnabar

Ingredients

Roman cinnabar, vinegar, fresh water, gum

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

A half a pound of high-quality Roman cinnabar is taken and grinded thoroughly on a stone plate with a pestle [to obtain] a fine and precise grind. It is then collected in a container and immersed in vinegar, which is left to stand for three hours until it becomes clear. The vinegar is strained, then immersed in fresh water and left to stand for two hours. The water is strained, and this process is repeated three more times until it is free of yellowness and impurities. The gum is then dissolved in a sufficient quantity of water and the cinnabar is added. The whole thing is placed in a glass jar and hung in the sun for a whole week. Then it is taken out and can be used. (p. 9)

Evidence

"A half a pound of high-quality Roman cinnabar is taken and grinded thoroughly on a stone plate... hung in the sun for a whole week. Then it is taken out and can be used."

Remarks

The manuscript includes six different recipes for red ink and two techniques specifically for dissolving cinnabar. This recipe emphasizes purification through acidic (vinegar) and neutral (water) washes and aging in sunlight. (p. 9).