The Art of Ink Making in Iran: The Soul that Gives Life to Lines
The art of ink making in Iran, especially for calligraphy, has a long history and is considered one of the main pillars of this art. Iranians have long discovered various formulations for making ink, each with its own unique properties and applications.
History of Ink Making in Iran
The use of ink in Iran dates back to ancient times. In ancient inscriptions and old works of art, there are signs of the use of various inks. In the Islamic period, with the expansion of the art of calligraphy, the art of ink making also reached its peak, and Iranian calligraphers invented complex and diverse formulations for making ink.
Raw Materials and Production Process
The main raw materials in making vegetable inks were:
Soot: Soot from burning vegetable oils such as almond, sesame, and olive oil was used as the main pigment in ink.
Gum arabic: Gum arabic acted as an adhesive and caused the ink to adhere to the paper.
Honey: Honey, as a natural substance, gave the ink luster and softness.
Water: Water acted as a solvent and connected the other materials.
The ink making process generally consisted of the following steps:
Preparing soot: Vegetable oil was burned in a container to produce soot.
Grinding: The soot was ground into a very fine powder using hand mills.
Mixing: The soot powder was mixed with gum arabic, honey, and water and allowed to stand for several days for the materials to combine well.
Filtering: The resulting mixture was passed through a filter to remove impurities.
Storage: The prepared ink was stored in earthenware or glass containers.
Types of Traditional Inks
Traditional inks were divided into different types based on the type of soot and additives, including:
Black ink: The most common type of ink, made from soot of black oil.
Brown ink: Made from the soot of wood or tree bark.
Red ink: Made by adding natural red pigments such as cinnabar to black ink.