Black pigment in Ancient Egypt (definition and types) Abdelmoniem M. Abdelmoniem Conservation Department, Faculty of Archaeology, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt. Corresponding Author: TEL:+2001009805550 E-mail address: ama63@fayoum.edu.eg Queen Ahmose- Nefertari in which the body appears in black. The black color in the religious beliefs of the Ancient Egyptian The black color of the Ancient Egyptians was the color of darkness and the water of the first ocean. It was taken off against all divine figures. It also represented the opposite ideas: Power, modesty, rebellion, harmony, wealth, and poverty. It also referred to absences, modernity, evil, sadness, night, death of the lower world. Similarly, it denoted resurrection and fertility. Moreover, the black mud became a symbol of Egypt itself that was called the "black earth". The Ancient Egyptian had the language of color and used darker tones as a sign of sadness. Black represented death and the afterlife for the Ancient Egyptians. It had special psychology, especially for the Ancient Egyptians, because it expressed immortality and resurrection. Thus, it was often used in funerary rituals. Definition of pigment Pigments are soft and fine-grained powders that are retained in their physical form as they do not dissolve but suspend in the medium. A binding medium is added to them until they stick to the surface. They may be particles mixed with the liquid medium to form the artistic images of these natural molecules that the Ancient Egyptian used to purify with different metal oxides of color. The colors and methods of coloring reflect the extent of the development of the Ancient Egyptians in this field. Definition of Black pigment Carbon Black Carbon black includes many colored materials obtained from burning or carbonating oils or wood and other organic materials. Most of these products are made of non-pure carbon as they contain mineral impurities, hydrocarbons, and tar. There are two types of carbon, i.e. the crystallized carbon and the amorphous carbon. Graphite is the only crystallized carbon that is used as a coloring material. In terms of the state, the amorphous carbon is categorized into the phase. Carbon, in general, is chemically inert. It is not affected by light, air, acids, and concentrated hot alkalis. However, it can be destroyed by burning at very high temperatures. At the time, it turns into monoxide and carbon dioxide. As a color substance, carbon has a high coverage power. For example, the black letters in the texts and coffins were usually carbon black with gum Arabic. The black-colored materials are divided into: Bone black It consists of 84% calcium phosphate, 10% carbon, and 6% calcium carbonate. It is made by burning animal bones and pods. It has a blueish color. Its density is greater than the degree of soot density, and its specific weight is 2.29. Ivory black It is made of non-pure carbon C and has a beautiful dark black color. It has a great covering strength. Lamp black (soot) It is a carbon resulting from the accumulation of smoke from burning oils used in lighting. The finest type of carbon is deposited away from the ignition area, while the ones near it contain some of the elements that flew and did not break down into carbon atoms. Soot and dust were obtained from cooking utensils or the surfaces of the walls of the ovens. Microscope examination shows that the atoms are accurate, homogeneous and combined in hairy chains and threads. charcoal black It is obtained by burning wood and plant materials. Charcoal black is less in purity than soot. Moreover, its grains are often larger, which often requires the use of animal glue solution as a medium for coloring. Its black and gray powder under the microscope appears as fine, rectangular, and opaque fragments. It maintains the precise anatomical shape of the wood from which it is made, so it is easy to distinguish microscopically. Pyrolusite black It is the natural black of the manganese. It was used as an eye color material in Maadi civilization. Brushes Brushes made of fibrous wood, such as palm ribs or twigs bound together were used Brushes and palette from a temple painter. From the British Museum. Binding Media It is the material that is mixed or added to the colors before they are applied to the ground layer, through which a homogeneous suspended solution is obtained. The color medium has several functions, namely carrying and fixing the color materials. The Ancient Egyptian used three color media: Gum Arabic It is one of the most popular color media used by the Ancient Egyptian used to mix the colored materials. Gum Arabic can be used with all coloring materials if they are well ground. Currently, it can be obtained in abundance from various types of Acacia Arabica. Animal Glue The Ancient Egyptian used animal glue as a medium, especially with the colored materials he made, such as the Egyptian blue, which could not be grained well to be made into fine powder like other natural color materials. Therefore, he needed a more viscous and a stronger medium than gum Arabic. Egg Yolk Egg yolk consists of an emulsion that contains more than 51% water, 17: 38% for peptides, and 15% proteins. Care must be taken when using egg yolk as a medium for the colored materials due to the presence of non-dried peptides that have anti-hardening oils. However, they work as a natural color substance. Furthermore, the presence of lecithin, which contains 9% protein materials, gives the formed film active surface properties and excellent emulsifying properties that can persist. Statuette of Anubis A coffin from the Twelfth Dynasty covered with a black colored substance References Abdelmoniem ,A.M.,( 2019),An experimental study for treatment and conservation of archaeological wood covered with a layer of black resin, applied on one of selected models, Master thesis,fayoum university, Egypt. Abdul-Ghani,M.H., (2000): A study of techniques and restoration of archaeological paper icons, Master Thesis, Cairo University, Egypt. Davies, W. V. (2001). Colour and painting in ancient Egypt. British Museum Press , p12. Eastaugh, N., Walsh, V., Chaplin, T., & Siddall, R.(2008), Pigment compendium. A dictionary and optical microscopy of historical pigments, London: Butterwoth and Heinemann,p770-796. Scott, D. A. (2016). A review of ancient Egyptian pigments and cosmetics. Studies in Conservation, 61(4), 185-202. https://colourlex.com/pigments/pigments-colour/ 10/3/2020.