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Materials used by artists in ancient Egyptian formal art

Naturally occurring earths, and carbon

carbon black

Red ochre

Fe2O3

Yellow ochre

FeOOH

 

gypsum/chalk

CaSO4.2H2O

 

Synthetic pigments

Artificial blue
(often called "Egyptian blue"
but developed in Mesopotamia/Syria?)

Egyptian blue is a synthetic pigment composed of various phases containing silica (SiO2), copper (Cu) and calcium (CaCo3)

Artificial green
("green frit")

The major phases of this material are copper wollastonite (Ca, CU)3 (Si3O9) and a glassy phase rich in copper, sodium and potassium.

Rarer pigments

Yellow

orpiment (As2S3)

Orange

orpiment (As2S3) or pararealgar (the gamma form of AsS)

 

 

White

huntite
Mg3Ca (CO3)

colour terms


 

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