Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. RE: The International Iron Gall Ink Meeting 2025: Towards Sustainable Preservation (IGI2025) PORTUGAL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Valeria Orlandini Posted: Saturday June 21, 2025 1:53 PM Subject: RE: The International Iron Gall Ink Meeting 2025: Towards Sustainable Preservation (IGI2025) PORTUGAL Message: Dear Colleagues, My last message regarding the IGI2025 at NOVA. Am most grateful to all of you, conservators and scientists that have contacted me offline to send me your contributions and/or thanked me for posting all these materials in the FAIC's forum. Only 100 colleagues attended this event, and many wished they could travel and participate in the discussions. Hope this post about historical Persian ink making, materials and techniques is of interest to you. Best wishes, - Valeria Email: <[email protected] <[email protected]>> --- Title: Decoding "vitriol": reconstructing historical recipes for modern insights into iron gall inks Authors: Malihe Sotoudeh* a, b, Clara S. B. Gomes c, Sara Fani d, Parviz Holakooei e, Paula Nabais a, b, Vanessa Otero a, f, a Department of Conservation and Restoration and LAQV-REQUIMTE Unit, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal b Institute of Medieval Studies Research Unit, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal c Department of Chemistry and LAQV-REQUIMTE Unit, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal d Department of Asian, African and Mediterranean Studies, University of Naples "L'Orientale", Italy e Department of Objects Conservation and Archaeometry, Art University of Isfahan, Iran f Department of Conservation and Restoration and VICARTE Unit, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal Email: <[email protected] <[email protected]>> Abstract: Iron gall ink (IGI), widely used in medieval manuscripts, was traditionally made using three main ingredients: iron salts, phenolic extracts (such as tannins), and gum arabic. Among these, iron salts, historically referred to as "vitriol," were crucial for forming the ink's dark color when combined with polyphenolic extracts [1]. The term "vitriol" was historically used to describe various sulfate compounds, which were also notable for their applications in medicinal and alchemical practices, typically distinguished by color. While green vitriol (iron (II) sulfate FeSO₄·7H₂O) and blue vitriol (copper (II) sulfate CuSO4·5H2O) are commonly mentioned, other variants like red, yellow, and black vitriols remain challenging to characterize due to unclear historical descriptions [2]. Identifying specific compounds in historical recipes provides insights into the materials and techniques used to produce artworks, connecting us to historical practices while preserving rich material knowledge at risk of being lost [2,3]. The primary goal of this study was the reconstruction of iron gall inks following the 12th-century source Bayān al-ṣināʻāt by Ḥubayš Tiflīsī. In this technical treatise, red vitriol (zāǧ-e-sorkh) is mentioned in three out of four ink recipes, contrasting with the green vitriol commonly mentioned in European sources, highlighting the significance of red vitriol in medieval ink-making traditions. To better understand its role, we investigated the preparation and properties of red vitriol, providing deeper insights into historical ink production and its materials. We explored the preparation of red vitriol using a method described by al-Rāzī, the famous 9th-century Persian alchemist who detailed six types of vitriol, including red vitriol (Sūrī), in his Kitāb al-Asrār (The Book of Secrets) [4]. According to his description, red vitriol was prepared by combining iron sulfate (zāǧ) with copper acetate (zānǧār) in varying ratios and calcining the mixture at different temperatures [5]. The resulting reddish powder, when mixed with gall extract, was used to produce high-quality ink. Recent studies on the artificial production of red vitriol have shown that heating iron (II) sulfate gives different results depending on the methodology used [2]. In our research, calcination temperature and the ratio of ingredients influenced the final product when mixed with gall extract. The resulting reddish powder and reconstructed inks will be analyzed using complementary techniques, including colorimetry, Raman and Infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray Diffraction, to determine the composition of the calcined materials at specific temperatures. This study aims to improve our understanding of red vitriol and iron gall inks, contributing to their preservation and cultural heritage. References: 1. R.J. Díaz Hidalgo, R. Córdoba, P. Nabais, V. Silva, M.J. Melo, F. Pina, N. Teixeira, V. Freitas, 2018. Herit. Sci., 6(1). 2. G. Montanari, M. Marchini, M. Martelli, L. Maini, 2024. RSC Adv., 14(30), 21538–21543. 3. Q. Li, A. Wu, M. Zhang, J. Li, J. Cao, H. Li, Y. Jiang, 2024. Materials, 17(12). 4. V. Karpenko, J.A. Norris, 2002. Chem. Listy, 96, 997–1005. 5. G.M. Taylor, 2015. The Alchemy of Al-Razi: A Translation of the "Book of Secrets." CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 1–326. --- WS3 - "Persian Medieval Inks, Dyes and Sizings on Paper Supports Based on Taimurid to Qajar Historical Recipes" by Sadra Zekrgoo and Mandana Barkeshli Workshop Description for The International Iron Gall Ink Meeting 2025: Towards Sustainable Preservation (IGI2025), May 7-9, 2025, Portugal Title: "Construction and Application of Persian Medieval Inks, Dyes, and Sizings on Paper Based on Taimurid to Qajar Historical Recipes" Instructors: Dr. Sadra Zekrgoo, Mary Lugton Postdoctoral Fellow, Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, The University of Melbourne - Australia Prof. Dr. Mandana Barkeshli, Conservation Scientist, De Institute of Creative Arts and Design, UCSI University - Australia Workshop Synopsis: The art of calligraphy and illumination stands as a pinnacle of achievement within Islamic culture, particularly during the Taimurid (1370–1507 A.D.), Safavid (1501–1736 A.D.), and Qajar periods (1785–1925 A.D.). During these eras, Iranian masters developed sophisticated methods in creating specialized inks, dyes, and sizings to enhance their calligraphy and paintings on paper. Persian master calligraphers perfected their own formulations, meticulously documenting their recipes in treasured treatises that have been handed down through generations. Key types of traditional Persian manuscript inks include carbon ink, metal-tannate ink, starch ink, Persian ink, and the esteemed Peacock ink. Persian ink, frequently utilized for its robust quality, incorporates a precise blend of carbon and metal-tannate inks. Peacock ink, known for its superior refinement, includes additional exotic ingredients and was favoured by elite calligraphers. This workshop aims to provide an overview of medieval Persian ink-making, paper dyeing techniques, and the array of paper sizings developed through centuries of Persian scholarship. Participants will gain practical experience in crafting various types of Persian inks, dyes, and sizings, drawing on historical recipes spanning from the Taimurid to the Qajar periods. Special emphasis will be placed on Persian and Peacock inks, along with a unique metal-tannate ink variant that utilizes red vitriol (potassium ferricyanide) instead of the commonly used green vitriol (ferrous sulfate). Practical sessions will include the application of these inks on papers treated with natural dyes such as saffron, henna, turmeric, and safflower, and sizings made from blends of starch and asphodel, fleawort seed mucilage, and tragacanth. This workshop is designed not only to impart knowledge of historical techniques but also to inspire a deep appreciation for the rich material culture of Persian manuscript art. BIOGRAPHY PROF. DR. MANDANA BARKESHLI Prof. Dr. Mandana Barkeshli is a professor at the Institute of Creative Arts and Design, UCSI University, Malaysia, specializing in conservation science. She also serves as an Honorary Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne, where she collaborates on projects at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation. With a distinguished academic background, she has held senior positions at the Art Universities of Tehran and Isfahan, as well as at the International Islamic University Malaysia. She was the inaugural Head Curator at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia and is the founder and former chairman of the Islamic Manuscript Association in Cambridge, where she also served on the Board of Directors. Her research excellence has been recognized through numerous fellowships, including the MacGeorge Fellowship at the University of Melbourne, the Petra Kappert Fellowship at the University of Hamburg, as well as awards from the Barakat Trust and the Soudavar Memorial Foundation. Prof. Barkeshli has led professional workshops at esteemed institutions such as the Bodleian Library at Oxford, the École du Louvre, the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar, and the Qatar National Library. Her primary research focus is the material technology of Persian medieval manuscripts. She recently launched a dedicated website to share her research and database on Persian manuscript materials: Persian Manuscript Materials <https://www.persianmanuscriptmaterials.org/> --- Tradition and Science of Persian Ink Making <https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjTiLD7p_mNAxXQFVkFHZWKLBcQFnoECCwQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Fbook%2F10.1007%2F978-3-031-52071-6&usg=AOvVaw3WGQuDFfoS3K_Af2sMsy5-&opi=89978449> By Sadra Zekrgoo Drawing on over a decade of meticulous research, this comprehensive book unveils the intricacies of traditional Persian ink making by examining the treatises of Persian master calligraphers. Explore the historical tapestry of calligraphy, get insight into the lives of Persian master calligraphers, and discover the alchemy behind ink construction. The book presents authentic recipes in their original Persian form as well as English, thoughtfully translated by the author for a wider audience. Designed for curators, conservators, librarians, art historians, codicologists, scientists, calligraphers, and Persian, Middle Eastern, and Islamic manuscript studies professionals, and enthusiasts. This book is a tribute to the enduring artistry that has adorned manuscripts for centuries, inviting readers to unlock the secrets and heritage of Persian ink making. BIOGRAPHY: Dr. SADRA ZEKRGOO is the recipient of the esteemed Mary Lugton Post Doctoral Fellowship and is undertaking research at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, The University of Melbourne in Australia. He received his Ph.D. in Materials Conservation from the University of Melbourne in 2018 and his M.A. in Conservation of Fine Arts, specializing in paper conservation, from Northumbria University, England, in 2012. He is an academic, an art conservator, an art curator and a researcher who has studied traditional Persian writing inks and artist materials for over a decade. His scholarly contributions extend beyond academia, notably marked by conducting a series of traditional Persian ink-making workshops initiated in 2015. These workshops are tailored to a variety of audiences, from refugee children and communities, to academics and professionals. The workshops have been conducted at museums and academic institutions, mainly the Islamic Museum of Australia,The University of Melbourne, the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material (AICCM), State Library of Victoria, and The University of Oxford. His research interests include the historical reconstruction of artist materials, non-invasive analysis methodologies for examining manuscripts and the transference of knowledge through oral tradition. --- Many thanks for your time and kind co-operations. ------------------------------ Valeria Orlandini Conservator of Works on Paper and Photographic Materials Chevy Chase MD (301) 657-2682 ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 06-03-2025 16:08 From: Valeria Orlandini Subject: The International Iron Gall Ink Meeting 2025: Towards Sustainable Preservation (IGI2025) PORTUGAL The International Iron Gall Ink Meeting 2025: Towards Sustainable Preservation (IGI2025) was held on May 7-9, 2025 in Caparica Portugal.Salvaging Iron Gall Ink-Based Collections from Ink Corrosion, Fungal Attack, and Climate Change: Considering the Past and the Futurehttps://sites.fct.unl.pt/igi2025 <https://sites.fct.unl.pt/igi2025> The following main topics were discussed: Innovative Methodologies for The Preservation of Heritage Written with Iron Gall Inks Degradation Mechanisms of Iron Gall Inks Development/ Evaluation of Conservation Treatments for Iron Gall Inked Objects Assessment Surveys of Iron Gall Inks Documents Case StudiesOrganizing Committee:Maria Joao Melo Silvia Oliveira Sequeira Natercia Teixeira Vanessa Otero Paula NabaisRafael Javier Diaz Hidalgo Malihe SotoudehConservation is a multidisciplinary subject, which provides a rich field for research. As a result, it is not only possible, but also valuable and rewarding, to take a single material such as iron gall ink and consider its many characteristics from a variety of viewpoints.Although there have been many conferences, courses and publications focusing on specific aspects of ink gall ink, both the meetings hosted by the University of Northumbria Conservation of Fine Art Programme in September 2000 by Jean E. Brown as well as the one organized by (the late) John (J.B.G.A.) Havermans, Ph.D. from TNO, Build Environment and Geosciences in Delft, The Netherlands - Metals in Paper (MIP) EU Thematic Network - 2nd Iron Gall Ink Meeting 2006 in Newcastle upon Tyne, in the United Kingdom provided a holistic overview of the material through manufacture, application, degradation, history and conservation treatments to aspects of multiple investigations.It can be all too easy for a conservator or a conservation scientist to become exclusively focused on the degradation instigated by an inherently destructive material, such as iron gall ink. However it is valuable to reflect on why such a material continued to be so widely and extensively used over such a long period. This is particularly puzzling when it is remembered that its destructive characteristics were clearly recognized at a very early date.It became clear that iron gall ink has exceptional qualities, which surpass those of other inks. It has a capacity for refinement and rhythm, which in the hands of an artist, can result in an object that has vitality, is dynamic as well as enlightening. It is these intrinsic qualities of iron gall ink that made contemporary artists and inscribers continue to use it. Thus, conservators are very concerned to identify the components of the elements present in these inks and preserve these objects for posterity.During the 'International Iron Gall Ink Meeting 2025' last month at the NOVA SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY | NOVA FCT in Caparica we spent many hours discussing extensively about metal-tannic inks, analyses, treatments and the multiple recipes available among others. These workshops were offered:WS1 - "The manufacture of Iron Gall Inks: retracing past recipes" by Natércia Teixeira, Rafael Javier Díaz Hidalgo and Malihe Sotoudeh WS2 - "Making Iron Gall Inks with or without vitriols: All you need is soluble iron" by Birgit Reissland, Véronique Rouchon and Ira Rabin WS3 - "Persian Medieval Inks, Dyes and Sizings on Paper Supports Based on Taimurid to Qajar Historical Recipes" by Sadra Zekrgoo and Mandana Barkeshli WS4 - "Is it an iron gall ink? - Different approaches and challenges in IGI identification" by Paula Nabais and Sílvia SequeiraThere is more to come...for those colleagues interested on ink corrosion. ------------------------------ Valeria Orlandini Conservator of Works on Paper and Photographic Materials Chevy Chase MD (301) 657-2682 ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to https://community.culturalheritage.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=d16eaa87-0f69-494b-9f2f-303dbc1222e1&sKey=fab9aa4f27a04c5d876e&GroupKey=757a8f16-505f-4323-8e74-e376757aa9f7.
