Want to write in letters of gold? These ten alchemy recipes are from the Leyden Papyrus c. 250 AD. None are recommended unless there's a vomiting tortoise and a pinch of saffron nearby. Many ingredients are toxic and dangerous to use, although at one time, people did.
Here are ten of the top ancient formulae for writing in letters of gold.
1. "To write in letters of gold, take some mercury, pour it in a suitable vessel, and add to it some gold in leaves; when the gold appears dissolved in the mercury, agitate sharply; add a little gum, 1 grain for example, and, (after) letting stand, write in the letters of gold."
Mercury or quicksilver is ubiquitous in alchemy and medicine. With sulfur it's one of the main elements of ancient alchemy. Mercury is female, malleable, silver (white); the White Queen; or spirit Mercurius of Renaissance alchemy.
Gum refers to gum arabic, resin of the acacia tree. Gum arabic is the hardened sap of two species of Acacia, Senegalia senegal and Vachellia seyal.
2. " To write in letters of gold. write what you desire with goldsmith’s solder and vinegar."
Goldsmith's solder:
Greenish copper salts obtained by boiling infant's urine and natron in copper vessels. The resulting copper salts are scraped off and used for soldering gold. Infant's urine appears in ancient recipes as a source of phosphates and ammonia. Or: urine of an uncorrupted youth.
3. Grind arsenic (yellow arsenic sulfide aka orpiment) with gum, then with some well water; in the third place write.
Orpiment produces a vivid yellow pigment beloved by painters. Often the most toxic ingredients yield the most vibrant colors. Red lead is a brilliant orange-red made by roasting white lead. Prussian blue is a good source of cyanide.
From metallurgy alchemy originates as the art of coloring metals. Many alchemical recipes relate to the dyeing of metals to resemble silver or gold, and dyeing of stones such as quartz to look like rubies or sunstone. Other formulae pertain to dyeing fabrics.
Eventually alchemy is associated with the transmutation of less valuable metals to more valuable metals. The fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin illustrates the concept of turning gold-colored straw into real gold. Some alchemists defend making fake gold as a step to making real gold.
4. "Golden-colored arsenic, 20 drachmas; pulverized glass, 4 staters; white of egg, 2 staters; white gum, 20 staters; saffron as required .... after having written, let dry and polish with a tooth."
5. "... saffron (and) bile of a river tortoise."
6. "To write in letters of gold, take some mercury, pour it in a suitable vessel, and add to it some gold in leaves; when the gold appears dissolved in the mercury, agitate sharply; add a little gum, 1 grain for example, and, (after) letting stand, write in the letters of gold."
7. "Take a quarter portion of tested gold, melt in a goldsmith’s crucible; when it has become molten add a carat of lead; after it has become alloyed, set it aside, cool and take a mortar of jasper, throw in it the melted material.
Add 1 carat of natron and carefully mix the powder with some strong vinegar, in the same manner as for an eye-salve medicine, for three days; then when the mixture is completed, incorporate 1 carat of lamellose alum, write and polish with a tooth."
The crucible is an ancient tradition. Although crucibles are historically made out of clay, they can be made from any material able withstand high temperatures, such as graphite. Gold melts at 1,064 °C (1,947°F). Lead has a lower melting point of 327.5 °C (621.5 °F).
A common test of gold purity is to subject the metal to a high temperature. A favorite trick of early metal workers and gold duplicators is making an item of gold with a center of lead. The lead inside melts but the gold covering does not, making the item seem to be solid gold.
8. "Flower of cencos (unknown), white gum, white of egg mixed in a shell, and incorporate with bile of tortoise, by estimation as one does for colors; put into use. The very bitter bile of a calf also serves for the color."
9. "Place some leaves of gold in a mortar, grind them with some mercury and it is done."
In alchemical process the material of the mortar is often important. One recipe above calls for a mortar of jasper. A recipe for mercury involves grinding cinnabar in a copper mortar with copper pestle. Mortars and pestles are thought to contain magical and user energy.
10. "To write in letters of gold, without gold. Celandine (Chelidonium majus, a poisonous plant), 1 part; pure resin, 1 part; golden-colored arsenic (orpiment), of the fragile kind, 1 part; pure gum; bile of tortoise, 1 part; the liquid part of eggs, 5 parts; take 20 staters by weight of all these materials dried; then throw in 4 staters of saffron of Cilicia (today's S. Turkish coast).
Can be used not only on papyrus or parchment, but also upon highly polished marble, or as well when you wish to make a beautiful design upon some other object and give it the appearance of gold."
Saffron comes from the crocus flower, and saffron of Cilicia is considered the finest quality and most valuable of the saffrons. Early traders and travelers brave perilous seas to reach the gleaming shores and rich botanical treasures.
Deep, rich red saffron is the most desirable. Using products such as these, alchemy can be an expensive hobby. Especially during the Renaissance, alchemists need patrons or indulgent rich relatives to support the pursuit of alchemical studies and experiments.
A non-toxic recipe:
"Grind some gold leaves with gum, dry and use like black ink."
Today of course non-toxic gold paint and ink are readily available at craft shops and hardware stores.
Non-Fiction Books:
Fiction Books:
READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure
READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series
READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries
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