History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.s2.t2.2

v1.c20.s2.t2.2

All these references imply that ink was used extensively for writing and that ink manufacture was in vogue. Ink for writing on bhūrjapatra (birch bark) was made by converting almonds in to charcoal and boiling the coal thus obtained with gomutra (urine bovis). Though nothing much is said about the recipe of ink in any ancient texts, in lexicons like Śabdakalpadruma we come across many synonyms for masi like masijalam, kālī, añjanam, rañjani, malīñambu, etc. We can gather a few details regarding the preparation of ink in ancient India from a few sources of the later medieval period also. Buchanan has recorded ink manufacture in the form of liquid and solid. Lampblack was collected from earthen lamps of linseed oil and was mixed with the gum of Mimosa indica and a little water and rubbed in an iron mortar for three hours. Gall nuts were infused in the water and strained infusion was added to the rubbed material. After rubbing for six hours, the pot was kept in sunshine till they reached the consistency to make small lumps which were again dried in the sun (Ray, pp. 235- 36; Gode, pp.24-25). Even today lampblack is used as an essential ingredient for ink with an addition of gum, inknuts, sugar, etc.