carbon blacks

Ingredients

charcoal, soot, lampblack, gum, spit, water

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Throughout the world carbon inks were probably the first writing inks, using finely ground charcoal, soot, lampblack from burning oil or resin, in spit or water (p. 8). A specific type called Zube is traditionally prepared by burning the wood of the desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) and powdered by rubbing it with a stone; the powder itself is filtered using a fine type of textile (p. 15). Wanke ink is made by extracting accumulated soot on cooking pots, washing it into water, adding gum Arabic, and cooking it until it boils (p. 15).

Evidence

"The true black inks were identified with polarized light microscopy as carbon blacks. Carbon inks were indicated by the presence of finely divided opaque particles as seen microscopically... XRF (X-ray fluorescence) spectroscopy (Thermo Scientific Niton XL3t) on the same two folios confirmed the identification of... carbon in the black ink."

Remarks

Black inks ranged from glossy dense black to pale brown. Some samples exhibited very dark purple aspects, suggesting manganese oxide or hydroxide additives (p. 10). Carbon inks like Zube are noted for being extremely water soluble and easily smeared with sweaty fingers (p. 18).