ورق الذهب

Ingredients

ورق الذهب, شراب الليمون الصافي, الصمغ العربي, الزعفران, الماء

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The recipe involves taking gold leaves and placing them with pure lemon syrup in a porcelain dish or similar until the gold dissolves and its body disappears (p. 251). Water is then poured over it to wash the gold, left for an hour for the gold to settle, and then the water is decanted. A small amount of gum arabic and a tiny bit of saffron is added—just enough to keep the gold color—and dissolved in gum water (p. 251). After writing and drying, it is burnished with a gemstone until it shines (p. 251).

Evidence

"مخطوطة من الرق األزرق كتبت بحبر الذهب محفوظة في متحف الباردو بتونس."

Remarks

The gold ink used on the Blue Quran is a prime example of the highest luxury in Islamic manuscripts. The text (p. 252) notes that the letters are surrounded by brown outlines to make the gold stand out against the blue background. This style is characteristic of the 10th-century Kairouanese production.