A Study in Blue Pigments (Part 2) - Egyptian Blue

Egyptian blue, also known as calcium copper silicate, is a very stable synthetic pigment used in ancient Egypt for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians held the color blue in very high regard and were eager to present it on many media and in a variety of forms such as stone, wood, plaster, papyrus, canvas, and in the production of numerous objects, including cylinder seals, beads, scarabs, inlays, pots, and statuettes. In Egyptian belief, blue was the color of the heavens, and hence the universe. It was also associated with water and the Nile. Thus, blue was the color of life, fertility and rebirth. The oldest known example of the exquisite pigment is said to be about 5000 years old, found in a tomb painting dated to the reign of Ka-Sen, the last pharaoh of the First Dynasty. In the Middle Kingdom , it continued to be used as a pigment in the decoration of tombs, wall paintings, furnishings and statues, and by the New Kingdom, began to be more widely used in the production of numerous object