quicksilver
Arabia
12th Century
Source: Raggetti, L. (2016). Arabic Ink Recipes in Their Historical and Literary Context. Journal of Islamic Manuscripts, 7, 294–338.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
quicksilver, vinegar, egg white, vitriol, aloe, fish glue
Preparation Steps
Pound quicksilver with vinegar, egg white, vitriol, and aloe. Heat the mixture over a fire for one hour. After cooling in a stone mortar, melt the substance with fish glue (p. 323).
Original Recipe Text
Pound quicksilver with vinegar, egg white, vitriol, and aloe. Heat the mixture over a fire for one hour. After cooling in a stone mortar, melt the substance with fish glue (p. 323).
Evidence
"To write with it, pound quicksilver with vinegar, egg white, vitriol, aloe, and light a fire under it for one hour. Then leave it in a stone mortar, melt it with fish glue and write with it."
Remarks
Found attached to the Kitāb al-khawāᥣᥣ of Abũ al-ʕAlāʔ ibn Zuhr (p. 323). The recipe is intended to produce a metallic silver appearance upon writing.
Scientific Analysis
Chemical CompositionHg
Certainty Level
Inferred
Instrumentally Verified
Not Verified
Metadata
Material Type
ink
BinderFish glue
ColorSilver
RegionArabia
Approx. Year1150
Source Information
AuthorRaggetti, L.
CollectionSaray Ahmet III 2068
Language
N/A
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