Peacock ink, Murakkabi ṭāvūsī, iron gall ink, carbon ink

Ingredients

Lamp Black, White Vitriol, Green Vitriol, Gall Nuts, Gum Arabic, Water, Henna, Myrtle, Woad, Egyptian Sugar Candy, Musk, Saffron, Indigo, Epithymum, Aloe, Rose Water, Hejaz Gum, Gold leaves, Silver leaves

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The reconstruction of Peacock ink (Murakkabi ṭāvūsī) follows a multi-stage process based on the 16th-century recipe of Mīr ‘Alī Hiravī. 1. Preparation of the Botanical Extract: Gall nuts (138g) are crushed to powder and mixed with secondary additives including Henna (16g), Myrtle (16g), Woad (16g), Epithymum (3.2g), Sugar Candy (3.2g), Musk (1.6g), Saffron (3.2g), Indigo (3.2g), and Aloe (p. 21). Hot water (7.5L) is poured over these, left to soak overnight, then boiled for 15 minutes, cooled, and vacuum filtered to produce a gall nut extract filtrate (p. 23). 2. Processing the Vitriol: Green Vitriol (FeSO4•7H2O), listed in the primary table as White Vitriol (69g), is heated on a hot plate in a petri dish until it changes from green to grey-brown. This is intended to 'burn away the excess sulphur', likely resulting in dehydration and the production of iron oxide (FeO) (p. 23). 3. Creating the Iron-Gall Component: The heated vitriol is added to the gall nut extract, causing a color change from yellow-brown to purple/blue-black (p. 23). 4. Base Carbon Ink Preparation: Gum Arabic (276g) is dissolved in hot water overnight. This binder is then slowly added to Lamp Black (69g) in a mortar and mixed to create a basic carbon ink (p. 23). 5. Final Assembly: The iron-gall mixture is slowly integrated into the carbon ink base. The mixture is brayed (stirred and crushed in a mortar) for 2 hours, then stirred for an additional 3 hours with a magnetic stirrer. Finally, rose water is added before bottling (p. 23). The associated poem suggests a forty-day braying period and the addition of gold and silver leaves (p. 21).

Evidence

"this particular Peacock ink is based on a recipe by Mīr ‘Alī Hiravī (no. 8, Table 2). For a list of ingredients and measurements refer to Table 4 and 3. ... the recipe essentially involves making iron gall ink (created from combining gall nut extract and vitriol), which in this recipe contains additional additives, and adding it to a lamp black base."

Remarks

Peacock ink is renowned in Persia for its superior quality, described as having excellent gloss, fluidity, durability, and water resistance (p. 25). It is a hybrid ink that combines the depth of carbon ink with the chemical bonding of iron-gall ink, further enriched by a complex array of botanical and mineral additives. The study notes a discrepancy in nomenclature where the recipe calls for 'white vitriol' but the chemical behavior and specific formula provided (FeSO4•7H2O) correspond to green vitriol (p. 23). The authors highlight that most of the 32 ingredients identified across various Peacock ink recipes have medicinal properties in traditional Persian medicine, suggesting an intersection between calligraphic and pharmacological knowledge (p. 25). While the historical text prescribes 40 days of braying, the researchers found that 5 hours of intensive stirring produced an acceptable result (p. 24). The name 'Peacock' refers both to the wide variety of colorful ingredients and the subtle blue-green undertone visible in the final black ink (p. 28).