الزرنيخ

Ingredients

بياض البيض, الثوم, الحليت, نوشادر, سبا يمانيا, زرنيخ

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

In the twenty-first chapter (المقالة الحادية والعشرون), a recipe for a whitened or golden pigment is provided (p. 49). It involves taking a white base (طلا ابيض) that has been previously prepared, adding crushed asafoetida (حليتا مدفوفا) and crushed garlic (ثوما مدقوقا), and placing the mixture in a glass flask (قارورة). To this, Sal Ammoniac (نوشادر) or Yemeni alum (سبا يمانيا) is added in a ratio of ten 'astir', followed by eight 'dirhams' of Orpiment/Arsenic (زرنيخ).

Evidence

"ثم اطرح عليه نوشادر أو سبا يمانيا في كل عشرة اساتير وزرنيخ ثمان دراهم"

Remarks

Zarnikh (arsenic) refers to orpiment (yellow) or realgar (red). In this context, given the whitening process described earlier in the chapter, it likely refers to the yellow orpiment used to simulate gold or create a bright yellow pigment (p. 49). Garlic and asafoetida act as pungent stabilizers or chemical catalysts in this alchemical context.