soot (carbon black/charcoal)

Ingredients

soot, gum arabic, lead, strontium

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Traditional Greek papyri ink was produced from soot (charcoal) resulting from the combustion of resin, oil, or wood, mixed with a carbohydrate binder like gum arabic at a ratio of 1 uncia of gum to 3 unciae of carbon (p. 57). However, recent analyses of Herculaneum scrolls show a significant presence of lead (Pb) and strontium (Sr) in the ink composition (p. 65).

Evidence

"The analyses carried out on some fragments resulted in the identification of calcium (Ca) as a possible distinctive element between ink and papyrus... and the detection of lead (Pb) and strontium (Sr)... in the ink’s composition."

Remarks

The presence of lead in some fragments revised the communis opinio that Herculaneum inks were strictly carbon-based (p. 57). The ink usually shows a slight relief from the papyrus surface because carbon black does not completely penetrate the fibers (p. 65).