golden yellow arsenic (orpiment)
Iraq
13th Century
Source: Raggetti, L. (2021). Ordinary Inks and Incredible Tricks in al-ʿIrāqī’s ʿUyūn al-ḥaqāʾiq. In Alchemy in the Making (pp. 154-173). Brill.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
golden yellow arsenic, orpiment, water, white gum arabic
Preparation Steps
Take some golden yellow arsenic (orpiment), pulverize it, sift it, and grind it with water on an impermeable stone slab until it does not absorb any more water; pour the dissolved gum arabic onto it until you are satisfied with it and store it away for the moment when you may need it, either for writing or for the paints, it will be excellent (p. 167).
Original Recipe Text
Take some golden yellow arsenic (orpiment), pulverize it, sift it, and grind it with water on an impermeable stone slab until it does not absorb any more water; pour the dissolved gum arabic onto it until you are satisfied with it and store it away for the moment when you may need it, either for writing or for the paints, it will be excellent (p. 167).
Evidence
"Take some golden yellow arsenic (orpiment), pulverize it, sift it, and grind it with water on an impermeable stone slab until it does not absorb any more water; pour the dissolved gum arabic onto it until you are satisfied with it"
Remarks
The text notes that orpiment (zarnīḫ) can be substituted with Iraqi white lead and freshly plucked saffron if unavailable (Recipe [4], p. 168).
Scientific Analysis
Chemical CompositionAs2S3
Analytical Techniques
philological experiment
laboratory-edition
Certainty Level
Inferred
Instrumentally Verified
Not Verified
Metadata
Material Type
ink
BinderAcacia gum
ColorYellow
RegionIraq
Approx. Year1250
Source Information
AuthorRaggetti, L.
CollectionUnknown
Language
N/A
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