Egyptian blue, also known as calcium copper silicate (CaCuSi4O10 or CaO·CuO·4SiO2), is a pigment used by Egyptians for thousands of years. It is considered to be the first synthetic pigment. The pigment was known to the Romans by the name caeruleum. Vitruvius describes in his work '"De architectura" how it was produced by grinding sand, copper and natron and heating the mixture, shaped into small balls, in a furnace. Lime is necessary for the production as well, but probably lime-rich sand was used. After the Roman era, Egyptian Blue fell from usage and the manner of its creation was forgotten.
The ancient Egyptian word wedjet signifies blue, blue-green and green.
The first recorded use of Egyptian blue as a color name in English was in 1809.
Read more about Egyptian Blue: Definition, History and Background, Composition and Manufacture, Sources, Archaeological Evidence, Connections With Other Vitreous Material and With Metals, Occurrences Outside of Egypt, See Also
Famous quotes containing the words egyptian and/or blue:
“He will to his Egyptian dish again.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“When the inhabitants of some sequestered island first descry the “big canoe” of the European rolling through the blue waters towards their shores, they rush down to the beach in crowds, and with open arms stand ready to embrace the strangers. Fatal embrace! They fold to their bosoms the vipers whose sting is destined to poison all their joys; and the instinctive feeling of love within their breasts is soon converted into the bitterest hate.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)