sandarac, asphalt oil, sarcocolla

Ingredients

sandarac, asphalt oil, milk, ammoniac, fig milk, sarcocolla, fenugreek water, saffron, quicksilver, water stone

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Invisible inks: 1. Night ink: Write on paper with milk and ammoniac; the writing appears only at night (p. 337). 2. Heat-activated ink: Writing with fig milk appears red when brought close to fire (p. 337). Protective Varnish: Dissolved sandarac mixed with equal pure asphalt oil. Red sandarac is preferred (p. 336). Golden writing: Sarcocolla crushed with fenugreek water and saffron (p. 337). Silver-like ink for iron: Water stone crushed fine, mixed with oil, applied to iron, heated on low fire until iron-colored, then cooled and scratched to reveal a silver-like appearance underneath (p. 337).

Evidence

"take some thick dissolved sandarac, add to it the same quantity of pure asphalt oil, and smear it on the writing two or three times. Then, if it is put in the water for some days, the writing will not fade and will not be erased"

Remarks

The 'white' (al-abyaḍ) mentioned in asphalt oil testing is likely a deckname for tin or quicksilver (p. 336, note 90). The sandarac/asphalt mixture is described as 'the charm of the painting substances' and was considered a traditional method by 'the ancients' to prevent erasure (p. 336).