Roman inkwell found in Portugal

[guy]

 

A Roman inkwell from the first century AD has been discovered in Conimbriga, Portugal. Researchers have identified traces of a multi-ingredient ink composed of soot, bone black, iron-gall components, wax, and animal-based binders. (Residuals extracted for study are shown below.)

 

 

This is known as a Biebrich-type inkwell, a distinctive bronze Roman inkwell named after Biebrich, a Roman military site in Germany where the first examples were identified. Below is a map of sites where other similar inkwells were found.

 

Quote

 

The inkwell, weighing 94.3 grams, was made from a bronze alloy composed mainly of copper, tin, and lead. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis revealed a composition of 79.05% copper, 11.5% tin, and 8.9% lead. The lead content, typically high in Biebrich-type inkwells, reflects a deliberate technological choice, the study notes. This metal improved the fluidity of molten bronze, allowing the creation of objects with complex and detailed shapes with fewer defects. 

The true treasure, however, was not the container but its content. The sediment extracted from inside the inkwell was subjected to a battery of cutting-edge analytical techniques to decipher its composition. The results paint a picture of remarkable technological complexity. 

The ink was a mixture of several components. The main black pigment was amorphous carbon, derived from the high-temperature combustion of organic matter. Pyrolysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses identified a wide range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), compounds formed during incomplete combustion of materials such as wood. The detection of a compound called retene, a specific marker of conifer resins, indicates that the wood used to produce the soot was pine or fir.

But it was not a simple soot ink. Analyses also revealed the presence of calcium phosphate, a key component of bone black, a pigment obtained by calcining animal bones. Additionally, iron compounds were detected, suggesting that ingredients typical of iron-gall ink, made by mixing iron sulfate with oak gall tannins, were also added.

To give consistency to this mixture, Roman artisans added binders. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and chromatography confirmed the presence of beeswax and animal fat derivatives. The wax would act as a thickener and stabilizer, while the fats, possibly in the form of animal glue, would improve the ink’s adhesion to papyrus or parchment.

 

 

 

 

https://arkeonews.net/a-2000-year-old-roman-inkwell-found-in-portugal-contains-a-technological-recipe-that-shouldnt-exist/

 

https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/11/exceptional-discovery-in-conimbriga-a-roman-inkwell-with-millennial-ink-reveals-the-secrets-of-writing-in-ancient-rome/

Edited December 25, 2025 by guy