iron-gall ink
Egypt
7th Century
Source: Ghigo, T., & Albarrán Martínez, M. J. (2021). The practice of writing inside an Egyptian monastic settlement: preliminary material characterisation of the inks used on Coptic manuscripts from the Monastery of Apa Apollo at Bawit. Heritage Science, 9(62).
Recipe Details
Ingredients
vitriol, gall nut extracts, gum arabic
Preparation Steps
Historically prepared by mixing vitriol (metallic sulphates), gall nut extracts, and gum arabic. This study notes it as a suspension of iron-gallate pigment (p. 3).
Original Recipe Text
Historically prepared by mixing vitriol (metallic sulphates), gall nut extracts, and gum arabic. This study notes it as a suspension of iron-gallate pigment (p. 3).
Evidence
"the three literary fragments investigated were written using iron-gall ink. ... The ink’s opacity changes considerably in the infrared region, which is typical of iron-gall ink"
Remarks
In contrast to documentary texts, literary biblical fragments (P.PalauRib. Inv. 90, 134, 427) were found to be written with iron-gall ink (p. 11). This suggests a tradition of using more enduring inks for formal or sacred texts (p. 13).
Scientific Analysis
Analytical Techniques
near-infrared reflectography (NIRR)
Certainty Level
Probable
Instrumentally Verified
Not Verified
Metadata
Material Type
ink
BinderAcacia gum
Paper TypePapyrus
ColorBlack
RegionEgypt
Approx. Year650
Source Information
AuthorGhigo, T., & Albarrán Martínez, M. J.
CollectionMonastery of Apa Apollo at Bawit
Language
N/A
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