hibr, midad

Ingredients

gum arabic, gallnuts, pomegranate skins, walnut shell, smagh

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The text lists various ingredients for the preparation of inks: gum arabic and smagh act as binders, while gallnuts, pomegranate skins, and walnut shells provide the necessary tannins for dark colorants (p. 195). The glossary distinguishes between 'hibr' (brown ink) (p. 185) and 'midad' (black ink) (p. 186).

Evidence

"Reed pens and ingredients for inks, including gum arabic, gallnuts, pomegranate skins, walnut shell and smagh."

Remarks

The ingredients mentioned (gallnuts, pomegranate, walnut) are traditional sources of tannins for iron-gall or organic inks in Islamic calligraphic traditions. 'Smagh' typically refers to gum (often interchangeable with gum arabic). The glossary definitions provide the terminological distinction between brown and black ink varieties used in the manuscripts (pp. 185-186).