Copper greens

Ingredients

copper plates, vinegar, sugar, salt, wine vinegar, saffron

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Historical recipes for Verdigris (Zangar) involve immersing copper plates in vinegar for a month two meters underground. Other recipes include copper, wine vinegar, sugar, and salt (p. 85). Malachite (Sabz-e Koohi) is produced by grinding the natural mineral (p. 85).

Evidence

"In all the Shāhnāma manuscripts analysed in this project, the copper green was identified, and most likely was used to paint green garments, barding and architectural features, such as floor tiles."

Remarks

Copper greens include malachite, atacamite, antlerite, and verdigris. Verdigris was widely used in the 15th-16th centuries, while malachite became more common in the 16th and early 17th centuries (p. 84-85).