qasdir asfar, qasdir abyad
Egypt
15th Century
Source: Al-Zarkhuri, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr. Zahr al-Basatin fi 'Ilm al-Mashatin (Edited Treatise), p. 38-57.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
qasdir, sham'
Preparation Steps
To create two distinct mechanical fish, the bodies are first modeled from wax (sham'). One fish is then clad or coated with yellow tin (qasdir asfar) and the other with white tin (qasdir abyad). This provides the necessary color differentiation for the visual display of the automaton. (p. 51)
Original Recipe Text
To create two distinct mechanical fish, the bodies are first modeled from wax (sham'). One fish is then clad or coated with yellow tin (qasdir asfar) and the other with white tin (qasdir abyad). This provides the necessary color differentiation for the visual display of the automaton. (p. 51)
Evidence
"tasna' samakatayn min sham' ... wa talbis al-wahida qasdiran asfar, wa al-ukhra abyad"
Remarks
The use of tin (qasdir) coatings as metallic 'pigments' or colorants is a hallmark of medieval Islamic mechanical design. 'Yellow tin' (qasdir asfar) likely refers to a tinned surface treated with a colored lacquer or an alloy designed to simulate gold/brass, while 'white tin' (qasdir abyad) refers to the standard color of the metal. These coatings are applied over a wax core to create buoyant figures. (p. 51)
Scientific Analysis
Chemical CompositionSn
Analytical Techniques
Textual analysis
Certainty Level
Inferred
Instrumentally Verified
Not Verified
Metadata
Material Type
pigment
ColorYellow
RegionEgypt
Approx. Year1450
Source Information
AuthorAl-Zarkhuri, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr. Zahr al-Basatin fi 'Ilm al-Mashatin
CollectionMakhtutat al-Maktaba al-Britaniyya, Makhtutat Holanda
Language
N/A
AI Suggestions
Find similar recipes based on ingredients and preparation methods.