iron gall ink

Ingredients

al-'afs, al-zaj al-qabrusi, al-zaj al-akhdar, nila hindi, za'faran, shabb, samgh 'arabi, sabr saqutri, milh andrani

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The recipe is presented in a schematic layout (p. 126, Fig. 7). It lists ingredients including gallnuts (al-'afs), Cypriot vitriol (al-zaj al-qabrusi), green vitriol (al-zaj al-akhdar), Indian indigo (nila hindi), saffron (za'faran), alum (shabb), gum arabic (samgh 'arabi), and Socotrine aloes (sabr saqutri). The schematic layout organizes these components at the end of the manuscript (fol. 18v).

Evidence

"Recipe for an iron gall ink with a schematic layout added at the end of a treatise written by the same copyist; Berlin, Staatsbibliothek, Petermann II 30 (Pm II 30), fol. 18v"

Remarks

This recipe is notable for its schematic layout, which is distinct from the typical narrative form of ink recipes in this period (p. 126). It was added by the copyist Husayn b. Yasin b. Muhammad al-Katib.