Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses. / Christiansen, Thomas; Cotte, Marine; de Nolf, Wout; Mouro, Elouan; Reyes-Herrera, Juan; de Meyer, Steven; Vanmeert, Frederik; Lindelof, Poul Erik; Salvadó, Nati; Mortensen, Kell; Ryholt, Kim; Janssens, Koen; Larsen, Sine.

In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 117, No. 45, 2020, p. 27825–27835.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Christiansen, T, Cotte, M, de Nolf, W, Mouro, E, Reyes-Herrera, J, de Meyer, S, Vanmeert, F, Lindelof, PE, Salvadó, N, Mortensen, K, Ryholt, K, Janssens, K & Larsen, S 2020, 'Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 117, no. 45, pp. 27825–27835. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004534117

APA

Christiansen, T., Cotte, M., de Nolf, W., Mouro, E., Reyes-Herrera, J., de Meyer, S., Vanmeert, F., Lindelof, P. E., Salvadó, N., Mortensen, K., Ryholt, K., Janssens, K., & Larsen, S. (2020). Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117(45), 27825–27835. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004534117

Vancouver

Christiansen T, Cotte M, de Nolf W, Mouro E, Reyes-Herrera J, de Meyer S et al. Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2020;117(45):27825–27835. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004534117

Author

Christiansen, Thomas ; Cotte, Marine ; de Nolf, Wout ; Mouro, Elouan ; Reyes-Herrera, Juan ; de Meyer, Steven ; Vanmeert, Frederik ; Lindelof, Poul Erik ; Salvadó, Nati ; Mortensen, Kell ; Ryholt, Kim ; Janssens, Koen ; Larsen, Sine. / Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses. In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2020 ; Vol. 117, No. 45. pp. 27825–27835.

Bibtex

@article{7da09d1978d34dcd86018fbc989777f2,
title = "Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses",
abstract = "A hitherto unknown composition is highlighted in the red and black inks preserved on ancient Egyptian papyri from the Roman period (circa 100 to 200 CE). Synchrotron-based macro–X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping brings to light the presence of iron (Fe) and lead (Pb) compounds in the majority of the red inks inscribed on 12 papyrus fragments from the Tebtunis temple library. The iron-based compounds in the inks can be assigned to ocher, notably due to the colocalization of Fe with aluminum, and the detection of hematite (Fe2O3) by micro–X-ray diffraction. Using the same techniques together with micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Pb is shown to be associated with fatty acid phosphate, sulfate, chloride, and carboxylate ions. Moreover, micro-XRF maps reveal a peculiar distribution and colocalization of Pb, phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), which are present at the micrometric scale resembling diffused “coffee rings” surrounding the ocher particles imbedded in the red letters, and at the submicrometric scale concentrated in the papyrus cell walls. A similar Pb, P, and S composition was found in three black inks, suggesting that the same lead components were employed in the manufacture of carbon-based inks. Bearing in mind that pigments such as red lead (Pb3O4) and lead white (hydrocerussite [Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2] and/or cerussite [PbCO3]) were not detected, the results presented here suggest that the lead compound in the ink was used as a drier rather than as a pigment. Accordingly, the study calls for a reassessment of the composition of lead-based components in ancient Mediterranean pigments.",
author = "Thomas Christiansen and Marine Cotte and {de Nolf}, Wout and Elouan Mouro and Juan Reyes-Herrera and {de Meyer}, Steven and Frederik Vanmeert and Lindelof, {Poul Erik} and Nati Salvad{\'o} and Kell Mortensen and Kim Ryholt and Koen Janssens and Sine Larsen",
year = "2020",
doi = "10.1073/pnas.2004534117",
language = "English",
volume = "117",
pages = "27825–27835",
journal = "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America",
issn = "0027-8424",
publisher = "The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America",
number = "45",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses

AU - Christiansen, Thomas

AU - Cotte, Marine

AU - de Nolf, Wout

AU - Mouro, Elouan

AU - Reyes-Herrera, Juan

AU - de Meyer, Steven

AU - Vanmeert, Frederik

AU - Lindelof, Poul Erik

AU - Salvadó, Nati

AU - Mortensen, Kell

AU - Ryholt, Kim

AU - Janssens, Koen

AU - Larsen, Sine

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - A hitherto unknown composition is highlighted in the red and black inks preserved on ancient Egyptian papyri from the Roman period (circa 100 to 200 CE). Synchrotron-based macro–X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping brings to light the presence of iron (Fe) and lead (Pb) compounds in the majority of the red inks inscribed on 12 papyrus fragments from the Tebtunis temple library. The iron-based compounds in the inks can be assigned to ocher, notably due to the colocalization of Fe with aluminum, and the detection of hematite (Fe2O3) by micro–X-ray diffraction. Using the same techniques together with micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Pb is shown to be associated with fatty acid phosphate, sulfate, chloride, and carboxylate ions. Moreover, micro-XRF maps reveal a peculiar distribution and colocalization of Pb, phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), which are present at the micrometric scale resembling diffused “coffee rings” surrounding the ocher particles imbedded in the red letters, and at the submicrometric scale concentrated in the papyrus cell walls. A similar Pb, P, and S composition was found in three black inks, suggesting that the same lead components were employed in the manufacture of carbon-based inks. Bearing in mind that pigments such as red lead (Pb3O4) and lead white (hydrocerussite [Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2] and/or cerussite [PbCO3]) were not detected, the results presented here suggest that the lead compound in the ink was used as a drier rather than as a pigment. Accordingly, the study calls for a reassessment of the composition of lead-based components in ancient Mediterranean pigments.

AB - A hitherto unknown composition is highlighted in the red and black inks preserved on ancient Egyptian papyri from the Roman period (circa 100 to 200 CE). Synchrotron-based macro–X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping brings to light the presence of iron (Fe) and lead (Pb) compounds in the majority of the red inks inscribed on 12 papyrus fragments from the Tebtunis temple library. The iron-based compounds in the inks can be assigned to ocher, notably due to the colocalization of Fe with aluminum, and the detection of hematite (Fe2O3) by micro–X-ray diffraction. Using the same techniques together with micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Pb is shown to be associated with fatty acid phosphate, sulfate, chloride, and carboxylate ions. Moreover, micro-XRF maps reveal a peculiar distribution and colocalization of Pb, phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), which are present at the micrometric scale resembling diffused “coffee rings” surrounding the ocher particles imbedded in the red letters, and at the submicrometric scale concentrated in the papyrus cell walls. A similar Pb, P, and S composition was found in three black inks, suggesting that the same lead components were employed in the manufacture of carbon-based inks. Bearing in mind that pigments such as red lead (Pb3O4) and lead white (hydrocerussite [Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2] and/or cerussite [PbCO3]) were not detected, the results presented here suggest that the lead compound in the ink was used as a drier rather than as a pigment. Accordingly, the study calls for a reassessment of the composition of lead-based components in ancient Mediterranean pigments.

U2 - 10.1073/pnas.2004534117

DO - 10.1073/pnas.2004534117

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 33106396

VL - 117

SP - 27825

EP - 27835

JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

SN - 0027-8424

IS - 45

ER -

ID: 250599968