| Today most pigments for paint and dye are produced synthetically, but in ancient times people used local minerals. The minerals were crushed into a powder and mixed with animal fats to produce a wide range of usable colors. Here, several minerals are shown in original and powdered form alongside paint pigment samples. Clockwise from top right, the minerals are: hematite (also known as jewelers’ rouge), malachite (a green copper compound), azurite (“royal” blue), cinnabar (vermilion red), lapis lazuli (ultramarine blue), realgar (an arsenic compound), and orpiment (shown center; a form of “fool’s gold”). |
Hotmail
Messenger
My MSN
MSN Directory
