Abstract
For the first time it is shown that carbon black inks on ancient Egyptian papyri from different time periods and geographical regions contain copper. The inks have been investigated using synchrotron-based micro X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and micro X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). The composition of the copper-containing carbon inks showed no significant differences that could be related to time periods or the geographical locations. This renders it probable that the same technology for ink production was used throughout Egypt for a period spanning at least 300 years. It is argued that the black pigment material (soot) for these inks was obtained as by-products of technical metallurgy. The copper (Cu) can be correlated with the following three main components: cuprite (Cu2O), azurite (Cu3[CO3]2[OH]2) and malachite (Cu2CO3[OH]2).
Highlights
Two of the most profound technological advances in human intellectual history were the twin inventions of ink and papyrus, the ancient precursor of modern paper, by the Egyptians about 5.000 years ago
Pathyris was destroyed in 88 BCE during a civil war and thousands of papyri have been preserved in the ruins until modern times and are conserved in papyrus collections around the world, including Berlin, Cairo, 1Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies (ToRS), Section of Egyptology, University of Copenhagen, Karen Blixens Plads 8, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark. 2European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) 71 avenue des Martyrs CS 40220, 38043, Grenoble Cedex 9, France. 3Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8220, Laboratoire d’archéologie moléculaire et structurale (LAMS), 4 Place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France. 4National
This preliminary characterization was limited to conventional X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman and SEM-EDXS techniques and the chemical nature of the lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) compounds detected in the black inks could not be ascertained through the experimental setup[7]
Summary
Two of the most profound technological advances in human intellectual history were the twin inventions of ink and papyrus, the ancient precursor of modern paper, by the Egyptians about 5.000 years ago. The macro XRF elemental maps, discussed below, showed either no contrast between the inked areas and the papyrus, indicating soot or finely powdered charcoal as the origin of the black color, or the presence of Cu or Pb compounds in the pigments.
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