iron-polyphenol complex

Ingredients

gallnuts, water, vitriol, gum arabic

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Take thirty gallnuts, grind them, pour three raṭl [1191.78 mL] of water over them and cook on low heat until half is evaporated; then clarify and add five dirham [15.45 g] of weight of good vitriol and seven dirham [21.63 g] of gum arabic; put it in the sun for a couple of days and then write with it. (p. 8). Reproduction variations QI.4Vs1 and QI.4Vs2 tested 100 °C and 70 °C variants to analyze thermal extraction effects. (p. 5, 12).

Evidence

"QI.4. Another midād by al-Rāzī: Take thirty gallnuts, grind them, pour three raṭl [1191.78 mL] of water over them and cook on low heat until half is evaporated; then clarify and add five dirham [15.45 g] of weight of good vitriol and seven dirham [21.63 g] of gum arabic"

Remarks

Instructions note: 'If it is not black enough and tends to red, add to it some vitriol, while if it is not bright enough, add some gum.' This emphasizes establishing color according to desired 'grade of black and brilliance'. (p. 8).