saffron

Egypt
13th Century
Source: Bohak, G. (2022). Specimens of Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic Magical Texts. In: Specimens of Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic Magical Texts, 28-46.
Recipe Details

Ingredients

jasmine oil, saffron

Preparation Steps

Found on the verso of T-S NS 90.1 (p. 38), the recipe for soothing a crying baby requires taking jasmine oil and 'a bit of saffron' and applying it to the forehead ('between your eyes').

Original Recipe Text

Found on the verso of T-S NS 90.1 (p. 38), the recipe for soothing a crying baby requires taking jasmine oil and 'a bit of saffron' and applying it to the forehead ('between your eyes').

Evidence

"you should take jasmine oil and a bit / of saffron and place some of it between your eyes"

Remarks

The manuscript T-S NS 90.1 contains a long introduction paralleled in Saadiah Gaon's Kitāb al-mawārīth. The pigment/oil mixture is used as a topical application in a magical-medicinal context (p. 38).

Scientific Analysis
Chemical CompositionC20H24O4 (Crocetin)
Analytical Techniques
textual analysis
Certainty Level
Inferred
Instrumentally Verified
Not Verified
Metadata
Material Type
pigment
Binderjasmine oil
ColorYellow
RegionEgypt
Approx. Year1250
Source Information
AuthorBohak, G.
CollectionCairo Genizah
Language
N/A
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