Egyptian-Blue

Ingredients

cuprorivaite, parawollastonite, quartz

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The production of blue and green synthetic pigments required specific minerals—cuprorivaite and parawollastonite—fired with quartz at different temperatures (p. 51, Note 58). The text notes a 'superior technology achieved in the XVIII Dynasty in the production of blue pigment' which continued into the XX Dynasty/Ramesside period (p. 52). Production might have occurred directly at Beth-Shean (p. 52, Note 67).

Evidence

"The pigments examined by the scanning electron microscope are composed of cuprorivaite, the major component of Egyptian blue (David 2009, 706, 709, photo 13.6). (p. 52)"

Remarks

The blue pigment was applied to sunken hieroglyphic inscriptions on soft, white limestone architectural elements like doorjambs and lintels (p. 38). In Egyptian culture, blue was interchangeble with green and related to concepts of regeneration and rebirth (p. 51). The use of blue in these residences (Building 1500) is unique beyond the Southern Levant as it is rare even in Egypt to find blue-painted doorframes in such contexts (p. 51).