History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c37.s3.9

c37.s3.9

Ink was used to be prepared in early days in India, both in the solid and in the liquid form, from lampblack collected by burning linseed oil in an earthen lamp. This was mixed with the gum of *Vachellia farnesiana* and a little water, and then rubbed in an iron mortar with a wooden pestle for several hours. This paste was afterwards treated with an infusion of gall-nut in water, and the whole mass was ground again in the same iron mortar for a few hours. The pasty mass was finally dried in the sun to admit of its being made into lumps. The lumps again were further dried by sun's heat.