oil soot

Ingredients

myrobalan, oil soot

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The recipe describes a variant of the hibr used by Khalid ibn Barmak (d. 165/782). The variant, introduced by his son Yahya b. Khalid (d. 190/806), involved adding myrobalan and oil soot to the father's base preparation (p. 151, footnote 46). This formulation is identified as a 'mixed ink' (p. 151), combining carbon-based pigments (oil soot) with plant-derived tannins (myrobalan).

Evidence

"al-Marrākušī mentions a variant introduced by the vizier Yaḥyā b. Ḫālid (d. 190/806), who was said to add myrobalan and oil soot to his father’s preparation. This, then, would be the first attestation of such a mixed ink"

Remarks

The text highlights that mixed inks, representing approximately 20% of historical formulas, are difficult to identify in manuscripts because high carbon content masks other components in NIR and UV light (p. 151). While Raman spectroscopy is well-suited for carbon and iron gall mixtures, it lacks conclusive spectra for tannins in the visible range (p. 151). The replication of these recipes (Case Study VI) allows for testing advanced protocols like ASAP-MS and SERS to improve identification accuracy (p. 152-153). Attribution of the Yahya b. Khalid recipe is noted as potentially apocryphal, first mentioned in Baghdad in 1251 CE (p. 151, footnote 46).