Pigments through the Ages

              
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Egyptian blue 
 
   

     
 

  1.  Overview  
  2. History
of use
 
  3. Making the
pigment
 
  4. Technical
details
 
  
  About the chemical structure:
        
Chemical name:
Calcium copper silicate
Formula:
CaCuSi4O10
3D model:

n/a
Crystal system:
Tetragonal - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal (at Mineralogy Database)
Refractive index:
e =1.59, w =1.633
A swatch of Egyptian blue paint:
  

  How can you identify Egyptian blue?
        
Chemical identification:
n/a

Spectra:
Raman spectra (at University College London)


  Usage and handling:
        
Permanence:
Toxicity:
excellent
non toxic

  Literature:   
        
Chase, W T. "Egyptian Blue as a Pigment and Ceramic Material." In Science and Archaeology, edited by R. H. Brill. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1971, pp. 80-90.

Tite M. S., M. Bimson, and M. R. Cowell. "Technological Examination of Egyptian Blue." In Archaeological Chemistry III, edited by J. B. Lambert. Washington, D.C.: American Chemical Society, 1984, pp. 215-42.

Bayer, G. and Wiedemann, H.G.Bildung und Stabilität von Ägyptisch-Blau (Cuprorivait), Naturwissenschaften 62 (2), (1975), p. 181-2.

Bayer, G. and Wiedemann, H.G Ägyptisch Blau, ein synthetisches Farbpigment des Altertums, wissenschaftlich betrachtet, Sandoz-Bulletin 40 (1976), p. 20-39.

Artists’ Pigments. A Handbook of Their History and Characteristics, Vol. 3: E.W. Fitzhugh (Ed.) Oxford University Press 1997, p. 23-45


Other blues        
(intro) - Azurite - Cerulean Blue - cobalt blue - Egyptian blue - Indigo      
Prussian blue - smalt - Ultramarine        

 Sections:  

  purples  

  blues  

  greens  

  yellows  

  oranges  

  reds  

  whites  

  browns  

  blacks  

    
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