Egyptian blue pigment recovery

The University of Washington State (WSU) recreated the oldest synthetic pigment in the world. It is called Egyptian blue and used about 5,000 years ago. The recovery of the Egyptian blue pigment gives us light (and color) about its artistic representations.

The report is in Heritage Science. They used raw materials and heating times to develop 12 pigment recipes. It is useful for archaeologists and scientists specialized in conservation studying the materials of ancient Egypt.

"It is a good practical case about what science can contribute to the study of our past." He declared it in a statement John McCloy, director of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Materials of the WSU. "Modern science reveals hidden stories in the objects of ancient Egypt."

The recovery of the Egyptian blue pigment allows us to better appreciate your art.

Recovering colors

While the Egyptian blue pigment was valuable in ancient times, there is little archaeological evidence about its elaboration. It was used as a substitute for expensive minerals such as turquoise or lapislázuli. It was used to paint wood, stone and a material similar to the Maché paper called cardboard. After the Egyptians, the pigment was used by the Romans. For the Renaissance, the knowledge of its manufacture had been forgotten.

In recent years, interest in the pigment resurfaced due to its interesting optical properties. Its chemical composition is similar to that of high temperature superconductors. For the recovery of the Egyptian blue pigment they created 12 different recipes mixing silicon, copper, calcium and sodium carbonate dioxide. They warmed the material to about 1,000 degrees Celsius for between one and 11 hours. They were the temperatures available to antiquity artists.

Egyptian blue included a variety of blue colors, according to its place of manufacture and quality. The researchers discovered that the pigment is very heterogeneous. "There were people who made the pigment and then transported it, and the final use occurred elsewhere."

They were replicated using the inputs and tools of that time.

Exhibition

To obtain the most blue color, only about 50% of the blue components is required. "No matter what the rest, which surprised us a lot," said McCloy. «You can see that each pigment particle contains a lot of elements. It is not uniform at all ».

The created samples are currently exhibited at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They will be part of the new long -term gallery of the museum dedicated to ancient Egypt.