Medieval Chemistry and Pigment Manufacturing in the Picatrix Grimoire
The Picatrix (or in Arabic Ghāyat al-Ḥakīm) is an early medieval book of magick, astrology, and alchemy (an early form of chemistry). In the study of esotericism and the magickal arts, this book has been used for centuries as a grimoire, as well as an important historical source text. One section of the book is dedicated to describing the colors associated with the Zodiac signs, and how to make inks, pigments, and paints corresponding to those colors. The instructions for the sign of Aries are as follows (some of these substances are toxic, so do not try this at home!):
"§13 The color of the first face of Aries is red and is made thus: take one part each of oak gall, gum arabic, and orpiment. Grind them up separately, then mix them together. When you desire to write or paint anything with it, combine it with egg whites."
[The word "Orpiment" is an elision of the Latin "auri pigmentum", or "gold pigment." It is a deep yellow-colored arsenic sulfide mineral (As2S3) found around volcanoes and hot springs. It is a byproduct of the decay of another arsenic mineral, realgar (α-As4S4). Orpiment has long been used as a gold pigment base from ancient Rome to China.]
"The color of the second face is yellow of a golden hue, and it is made thus: take equal parts of blue vitriol and talc. Grind them up separately, and mix them with honey. Distill this into a little gum arabic, and set it aside for the ritual."
[Blue vitriol, also known as calcanthum, is a copper sulfate.]
"The tincture of the third face is white and is made thus: take equal parts of white lead and talc."
Originally posted on our Random Religion and Spirituality blog at:
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