ink

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The text implies the ink used in the 16th-century manuscript was water-soluble, as it 'dissolved' when the pages were washed (p. 16). No specific chemical ingredients are listed, but the behavior suggests a lack of permanent waterproof binders typical of certain carbon inks or iron-gall inks of the period.

Evidence

"His work so angered these men that they seized the book from his home and washed the pages at the local mosque, dissolving the ink."

Remarks

The passage describes a historical event in 16th-century Mecca where a manuscript authored by Ibn Fahd was seized by locals and washed in a mosque to erase names (p. 16). This action resulted in the dissolution of the ink, providing historical evidence of the ink's physical properties and its vulnerability to aqueous environments. The account highlights the fragility of the media when subjected to intentional washing (p. 16).