gall nuts
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
gall nuts, water, vitriol from Cyprus
Preparation Steps
Take some gall nuts, crush them, macerate them in water, write with this on a leaf and leave it until it fades away. Then, take some good vitriol from Cyprus, grind it well, mix it with water and wash the leaf in it, and the writing will appear black (p. 172).
Original Recipe Text
Take some gall nuts, crush them, macerate them in water, write with this on a leaf and leave it until it fades away. Then, take some good vitriol from Cyprus, grind it well, mix it with water and wash the leaf in it, and the writing will appear black (p. 172).
Evidence
"Take some gall nuts, crush them, macerate them in water, write with this on a leaf and leave it until it fades away. Then, take some good vitriol from Cyprus... and wash the leaf in it, and the writing will appear black."
Remarks
This recipe functions similarly to an invisible ink trick where the color is developed after application.
Scientific Analysis
Analytical Techniques
philological experiment
Certainty Level
Inferred
Instrumentally Verified
Not Verified
Metadata
Material Type
ink
ColorBlack
RegionIraq
Approx. Year1250
Source Information
AuthorRaggetti, L.
CollectionCyprus
Language
N/A
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