المداد الفارسي

Ingredients

الصمغ العربي, ماء الكثيراء, ماء النشا يستج, بياض البيض, الشمع المسخن, لبن حليب, اللبان الممضوغ, مرارة السلحفاة

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The index lists a wide array of additives and binders for ink production, including 'الصمغ العربي' (Arabic gum) (p. 149), 'ماء الكثيراء' (tragacanth water) (p. 149), 'ماء النشا يستج' (starch water) (p. 151), and 'بياض البيض' (egg white) (p. 97). Exotic and functional ingredients like 'مرارة السلحفاة' (turtle gall) (p. 151) and 'اللبان الممضوغ' (chewed frankincense) (p. 150) are also noted, which were historically used to adjust ink viscosity, gloss, and adhesion.

Evidence

"المداد الفارسي - ١٤٢ ... الصمغ العربي - ١٤٩ ... ماء الكثيراء ١٥١ ... بياض البيض ٩٧"

Remarks

The variety of binders listed indicates a highly sophisticated tradition of ink-making where the physical properties of the ink were meticulously controlled using various natural polymers (gums, starches, proteins). 'Persian Ink' (المداد الفارسي) is cited as a distinct category (p. 142), likely referring to a soot-based carbon ink modified with specific binders.