000-year-old egyptian blue dye
Scientists recreate lost recipes for a 5,000-year-old Egyptian blue dye
Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. For being the world's oldest known synthetic pigment, the original recipes for Egyptian blue remain a mystery. The approximately 5,000-year-old dye wasn't a single color, but instead encompassed a range of hues, from deep blues to duller grays and greens. Artisans first crafted Egyptian blue during the Fourth Dynasty (roughly 2613 to 2494 BCE) from recipes reliant on calcium-copper silicate. These techniques were later adopted by Romans in lieu of more expensive materials like lapis lazuli and turquoise.