ḥibr

Ingredients

gall nuts, good gum, water

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The recipe, attributed to Abū Ṭāhir, requires taking two and a half dirham of good gall nuts and the same amount of good gum. These are pulverized in a mortar. Subsequently, twenty-five dirham of water are poured onto the mixture and it is rubbed until it is deemed 'good and pure' (p. 134). The author notes that the lack of immediate solubilisation of tannins in water makes this procedure unusual for plant inks unless it was intended as an 'instant ink' (ḥibr min sāʿatihī) (p. 135).

Evidence

"When I replicated this recipe, the colour of the ink was pale yellow and the writing on the paper almost invisible."

Remarks

The author argues that despite being recorded as a plant ink, the recipe shares procedures and proportions with instant iron gall inks, suggesting the vitriol was forgotten by the scribe (p. 136). Experimental testing on paper resulted in nearly invisible writing, though testing on parchment yielded a more visible light yellow-brown color (p. 135).