traditional paper

Ingredients

indigo powder, lukewarm water, cold water

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Traditional recipes from treatises like Ādāb al-Mašq suggest mixing two ‘Man’ (6 Kg) indigo with ten ‘Seer’ (750 g) water (p. 74). For this study’s reference samples, 250 g of indigo powder was mixed with approximately 312 ml of lukewarm water and cleared through a paper filter. Traditional paper samples were immersed in this clear blue solution for 24 hours and then rinsed with cold water (p. 74).

Evidence

"According to the ancient treatises, 250 g of indigo powder was mixed with ca. 312 ml lukewarm water and cleared through a paper filter. Afterward, traditional paper samples were immersed in a clear blue solution for 24 hours and eventually they were rinsed with cold water."

Remarks

Indigo is a vat dye produced by macerating leaves and stems for several weeks. It was known in India before the 1st millennium BC and was widely used in Islamic Bibliopegy (p. 74).