plant type, Theophilus ink

Ingredients

plant materials

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The ink is identified as a 'Theophilus ink,' a well-regarded plant-based recipe from the twelfth century (p. 100). The scribe of the Vercelli Book utilized this specific formulation, which lacks the typical elemental markers of iron gall ink such as sulfur, copper, and zinc (p. 100).

Evidence

"This analysis suggests the ink within the Vercelli Book is of the plant type. ... the specific type of plant based ink used by the scribe of the Vercelli Book: Theophilus ink."

Remarks

Micro-XRF analysis detected calcium as the primary element. While iron was present, the absence of sulfur, copper, zinc, manganese, and aluminum (typical of iron gall vitriol) led researchers to conclude it was a plant-based ink rather than iron gall (p. 100). Near infrared LED was used to distinguish it from carbon-based inks (p. 100).