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5,000-Year-Old Egyptian Blue Pigment Recreated Using Ancient Methods

  • Researchers from Washington State University, collaborating with other institutions, successfully reproduced Egyptian blue—the oldest known synthetic pigment—using traditional techniques as of 2025.
  • This work responds to the historical loss of Egyptian blue’s exact production process, which was widely used in antiquity but forgotten by the Renaissance.
  • The team created and experimented with a dozen pigment formulations composed of mixtures containing silicon, copper, calcium, and sodium compounds, which they subjected to temperatures near 1000°C for durations lasting up to 11 hours, mirroring ancient artisanal processes.
  • The pigment emits near-infrared light that is not visible to the human eye, and John McCloy expressed optimism that this research will demonstrate how scientific methods can enhance our understanding of human history.
  • Their findings may aid conservation efforts, restore historic relics accurately, and enable modern applications like fingerprinting and anticounterfeiting inks based on Egyptian blue’s unique properties.
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The Egyptians were able to preserve their hieroglyphics for more than 5,000 years, Cerabyte intends to emulate it with a new hard glass disk that promises to last as long as possible.

·Madrid, Spain
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Phys.org broke the news in United Kingdom on Monday, June 2, 2025.
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