black soot ink, sparkling ink, iron-tannate ink, carbon ink, ḥibr, midād

Ingredients

soot, Arabic gum, ṣamġ, kuḥl, dye, tannins, iron, vitriol

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

One has first to scratch soot from kitchen walls with the help of a knife and collect it in a container (ināʾ). Then he adds Arabic gum (ṣamġ) and put all ingredients together on fire. When it is cooked out, wait until the preparation becomes cold, then pour it in a glass container (qarūra). Then close the container with cotton. Additions can be dye and kuḥl. (p. 151)

Evidence

"the sparkling effect is produced by the addition of kuḥl at the end of the preparation of carbon ink. (p. 151)"

Remarks

The paper distinguishes between midād (carbon-based soot inks) and ḥibr (tannin or iron-gall inks). Historically, carbon inks were used for rubrication and main text, but often mixtures were employed. In Yemeni manuscripts, a specific 'sparkling' effect was achieved by adding kuhl or mica to the ink or applying it over wet ink. Glossiness in the ink can also be attributed to additives like honey, sugar, or a high percentage of gum Arabic (p. 144).