iron gall ink

Name: iron gall ink
Cuisine: Byzantium
Ingredients: H2O; gall nuts; FeSO4·7H2O; Arabic gum; vinegar; cypress cone

Byzantium

15th Century

Source: Vassiou, E., Lazidou, D., Kampasakali, E., Pavlidou, E., & Stratis, J. (2024). Iron gall ink from historical recipes on organic substrates and their study before and after accelerated ageing with μ-RAMAN Spectroscopy and SEM-EDS. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 66, 584-592.

Recipe Details

Ingredients

H2O, gall nuts, FeSO4·7H2O, Arabic gum, vinegar, cypress cone

Preparation Steps

In MS Vaticanus gr. 914, Isidore doubles the amount of all ingredients compared to the source Codex Canonicus Graecus 39, though the overall concentrations remain low compared to standard black inks. The preparation follows the method of the previous recipe (IA), involving water-soaking of galls, addition of vitriol, and vinegar-melted gum (p. 587).

Original Recipe Text

In MS Vaticanus gr. 914, Isidore doubles the amount of all ingredients compared to the source Codex Canonicus Graecus 39, though the overall concentrations remain low compared to standard black inks. The preparation follows the method of the previous recipe (IA), involving water-soaking of galls, addition of vitriol, and vinegar-melted gum (p. 587).

Evidence

"Third Recipe- IB, IBC (“Manufacturing blond ink”) (Rom, Biblioteca Vaticana, gr. 914, f. 2)... the amount of all the ingredients is less, suggesting an even thinner ink with greater transparency. As a result, this is the reason it is referred to as blonde, although it is iron gall ink."

Remarks

Referred to as 'blonde' due to its high transparency and thinness (p. 587). IBC (with cypress cones) produces better quality with greater transparency and better integration into cellulosic fibers (p. 589).

Scientific Analysis

Chemical CompositionFeSO4·7H2O

Analytical Techniques

Raman

SEM-EDS

Certainty Level

Confirmed

Instrumentally Verified

Verified

Metadata

Material Type

ink

BinderAcacia gum

Colorblonde

RegionByzantium

Approx. Year1450

Source Information

TitleIron gall ink from historical recipes on organic substrates and their study before and after accelerated ageing with μ-RAMAN Spectroscopy and SEM-EDS

AuthorVassiou, E., Lazidou, D., Kampasakali, E., Pavlidou, E., & Stratis, J.

CollectionMS Vaticanus gr. 914

Language

N/A

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