Carbon black, Carminic acid
Turkey
19th Century
Source: Özgörüş, N. K., Ünlü, C. H., Grupče, O., Bakan, F., & Sezen, M. (2017). Analysis of Deterioration Phenomena in a Koran by Nineteenth Century Ottoman Calligrapher Mehmed Şevki. Restaurator. 38(4): 331–354.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
carbon, carminic acid, Armenian cochineal (Porphyrophora hamelii Brandt)
Preparation Steps
The red ink was identified as containing carminic acid, likely sourced from Armenian cochineal, which was produced in the Ottoman Empire (p. 348). Samples for red ink analysis were dissolved in a mixture of HCl, methanol, and water and hydrolyzed at 100°C for 8 minutes before HPLC injection (p. 339).
Original Recipe Text
The red ink was identified as containing carminic acid, likely sourced from Armenian cochineal, which was produced in the Ottoman Empire (p. 348). Samples for red ink analysis were dissolved in a mixture of HCl, methanol, and water and hydrolyzed at 100°C for 8 minutes before HPLC injection (p. 339).
Evidence
"The Raman spectrum of the red ink showed high fluorescence, suggesting an organic pigment... Carminic acid was detected in Mehmed Şevki’s red ink... Based on the region where the Koran is written, the most probable origin for the ink could be Armenian cochineal."
Remarks
The black ink was identified as a carbon-based pigment through Raman spectroscopy, showing characteristic bands at 1350 and 1600 cm-1 (p. 347). The inks and dyes were found to be consistent throughout the entire manuscript (p. 331, 348).
Scientific Analysis
Analytical Techniques
Raman
HPLC
SEM-EDS
Certainty Level
Confirmed
Instrumentally Verified
Verified
Metadata
Material Type
ink
ColorBlack
RegionTurkey
Approx. Year1850
Source Information
AuthorÖzgörüş, N. K., Ünlü, C. H., Grupče, O., Bakan, F., & Sezen, M.
CollectionKoran written by Mehmed Şevki
Language
N/A
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