remote　history　of　ink。
  The　Hebrew　word　for　ink　is　deyo；　so　called　from　its
  blackness。　As　primitively　prepared　for　ritualistic　purposes
  and　for　a　continuing　period　of　more　than　two
  thousand　years；　it　was　a　simple　mixture　of　powdered
  charcoal　or　soot　with　water；　to　which　gum　was　sometimes
  added。
  The　Arabian　methods　of　making　ink　（alchiber）　were
  more　complex。　Lampblack　was　first　made　by　the
  burning　of　oil；　tar　or　rosin；　which　was　then　commingled
  with　gum　and　honey　and　pressed　into　small　wafers　or
  cakes；　to　which　water　could　be　added　when　wanted　for
  use。
  About　1200　years　before　the　Christian　era；　the　Chinese
  perfected　this　method　and　invented　〃Indian　Ink；〃
  ostensibly　for　blackening　the　surface　of　raised　hieroglyphics；
  which　〃was　obtained　from　the　soot　produced
  by　the　smoke　of　pines　and　the　oil　in　lamps；　mixed
  with　the　isinglass　（gelatin）　of　asses'　skin；　and　musk
  to　correct　the　odour　of　the　oil。〃　Du　Halde　cites　the
  following；　as　of　the　time　of　the　celebrated　Emperor
  Wu…Wong；　who　flourished　1120　years　before　Christ：
  〃As　the　stone　Me　（a　word　signifying　blackening
  in　the　Chinese　language）；　which　is　used　to　blacken
  the　engraved　characters；　can　never　become　white；
  so　a　heart　blackened　by　vices　will　always　retain　its
  blackness。〃
  That　the　art　of　dyeing　was　known；　valued　and　applied
  among　early　nations；　is　abundantly　clear。　The
  allusions　to　〃purple　and　fine　raiment；〃　to　〃dyed　garments；〃
  to　〃cloth　of　many　colours；〃　&c。；　are　numerous
  in　the　Bible。　In　a　note　to　the　〃Pictorial　Bible；　after
  an　allusion　to　the　antiquity　of　this　art；　and　to　the　pre…
  eminence　attached　by　the　ancients　to　purple　beyond
  every　other　color；　it　is　remarked：　〃It　is　important
  to　understand　that　the　word　purple；　in　ancient　writings；
  does　not　denote　one　particular　colour。〃
  Many　of　the　names　of　the　dyestuffs　have　come　down
  to　us；　some　of　them　still　in　use　at　this　time　and　others
  obsolete。　They　were　employed　sometimes　as　ink；　and
  certain　color　values　given　to　them；　of　which　the　more
  important　were　blue；　red；　yellow；　green；　white；　black；
  purple；　gold　and　silver。　Some　colors　were　estimated
  symbolically。　White　was　everywhere　the　symbol　of
  purity　and　the　emblem　of　innocence；　and；　just　opposite；
  black　was　held　up　as　an　emblem　of　affliction　and
  calamity。
  Green　was　the　emblem　of　freshness；　vigor　and　prosperity。
  Blue　was　the　symbol　of　revelation；　it　was　pre…eminently
  the　celestial　color　blessed　among　heathen
  nations；　and　among　the　Hebrews　it　was　the　Jehovah
  color；　the　symbol　of　the　revered　God。　Hence；　it
  was　the　color　predominant　in　Mosaic　ceremonies。
  Purple　was　associated　as　the　dress　of　kings；　with
  ideas　of　royalty　and　majesty。
  Crimson　and　scarlet；　from　their　resemblance　to
  blood；　became　symbolical　of　life；　and　also　an　emblem
  of　that　which　was　indelible　or　deeply　ingrained。
  Later；　in　Christian　times；　only　five　colors　were　recognized
  as　fitting　for　theological　meaning　or　expression：
  white；　red；　green；　violet　and　black。
  White　was　esteemed　as　being　the　union　of　all　the
  rays　of　light；　and　is　often　referred　to　as　the　symbol　of
  truth　and　spotless　purity。　Red　was　emblematic　both
  of　fire　and　love；　while　green　from　its　analogy　to　the
  vegetable　world；　was　indicative　of　life　and　hope。　Violet
  was　considered　the　color　of　penitence　and　sorrow。
  Blue　was　forbidden　except　as　a　color　peculiarly　appropriated
  to　the　Virgin　Mary；　while　black　represented
  universally　sorrow；　destruction　and　death。
  The　art　of　dyeing　was　also　well　understood　and
  practiced　in　Persia　in　the　most　ancient　periods。　The
  modern　Persians　have　chosen　Christ　as　their　patron；
  and　Bischoff　says　at　present　call　a　dyehouse　Christ's
  workshop；　from　a　tradition　they　have　that　He　was　of
  that　profession；　which　is　probably　founded　on　the　old
  legend　〃that　Christ　being　put　apprentice　to　a　dyer；
  His　master　desired　him　to　dye　some　pieces　of　cloth　of
  different　colors；　He　put　them　all　into　a　boiler；　and
  when　the　dyer　took　them　out　he　was　terribly　frightened
  on　finding　that　each　had　its　proper　color。〃
  This；　or　a　similar　legend；　occurs　in　the　apocryphal
  book　entitled；　〃The　First　Gospel　of　the　Infancy　of
  Jesus　Christ。〃　The　following　is　the　passage：
  〃On　a　certain　day　also；　when　the　Lord　Jesus
  was　playing　with　the　boys；　and　running　about；　He
  passed　by　a　dyer's　shop　whose　name　was　Salem；
  and　there　were　in　his　shop　many　pieces　of　cloth
  belonging　to　the　people　of　that　city；　which　they
  designed　to　dye　of　several　colors。　Then　the　Lord；
  Jesus；　going　into　the　dyer's　shop；　took　all　the　cloths
  and　threw　them　into　the　furnace。　When　Salem
  came　home　and　saw　the　cloth　spoiled；　he　began　to
  make　a　great　noise　and　to　chide　the　Lord　Jesus；
  saying：　'What　hast　Thou　done；　unto　me；　O　thou
  son　of　Mary？　Thou　hast　injured　both　me　and　my
  neighbors；　they　all　desired　their　cloths　of　a　proper
  color；　but　Thou　hast　come　and　spoiled　them　all。'
  The　Lord　Jesus　replied：　'I　will　change　the　color
  of　every　cloth　to　what　color　thou　desirest；'　and
  then　He　presently　began　to　take　the　cloths　out　of
  the　furnace；　and　they　were　all　dyed　of　those　same
  colors　which　the　dyer　desired。　And　when　the　Jews
  saw　this　surprising　miracle　they　praised　God。〃
  The　ancients　used　also　a　number　of　tinctures　as
  ink；　among　them　a　brown　color；　sepia；　in　Hebrew
  tekeleth。　As　a　natural　ink　its　origin　antedates　every
  other　ink；　artificial　or　otherwise；　in　the　world。　It　is　a
  black…brown　liquor；　secreted　by　a　small　gland　into　an
  oval　pouch；　and　through　a　connecting　duct　is　ejected
  at　will　by　the　cuttle　fish　which　inhabits　the　seas　of
  Europe；　especially　the　Mediterranean。　These　fish
  constantly　employ　the　contents　of　their　〃ink　bags〃
  to　discolor　the　water；　when　in　the　presence　of　enemies；
  in　order　to　facilitate　their　escape　from　them。
  The　black　broth　of　the　Spartans　was　composed　of
  this　product。　The　Egyptians　sometimes　used　it　for
  coloring　inscriptions　on　stone。　It　is　the　most　lasting
  of　all　natural　ink　substances。
  So　great　is　the　antiquity　of　artificial　ink　that　the
  name　of　its　inventor　or　date　of　its　invention　are　alike
  unknown。　The　poet　Whitehead　refers　to　it　as　follows：
  Hard　that　his　name　it　should　not　save；
  Who　first　poured　forth　the　sable　wave。〃
  The　common　black　ink　of　the　ancients　was　essentially
  different　in　composition　and　less　liable　to　fade
  than　those　used　at　the　present　time。　It　was　not　a
  stain　like　ours；　and　when　Horace　wrote
  〃And　yet　as　ink　the　fairest　paper　stains；
  So　worthless　verse　pollutes　the　fairest　deeds；〃
  he　must　have　had　in　mind　the　vitriolic　ink　of　his　own
  time。
  But　little　information　relative　to　black　inks　of　the
  intermediate　times　has　come　down　to　us；　and　it　is　conveyed
  through　questioned　writings　of　authors　who
  flourished　about　the　period　of　the　life　of　Jesus　Christ；
  the　Younger　Pliny　and　Dioscorides　are　the　most　prominent
  of　them。　They　present　many　curious　recipes。
  One　of　these；　suggested　by　Pliny；　is　that　the　addition
  of　an　infusion　of　wormwood　to　ink　will　prevent　the
  destruction　of　MSS。　by　mice。
  From　a　memoir　by　M。　Rousset　upon　the　pigments
  and　dyes　used　by　the　ancients；　it　would　appear　that
  the　variety　was　very　considerable。　Among　the　white
  colors；　they　were　acquainted　with　white　lead；　and　for
  the　blacks；　various　kinds　of　charcoal　and　soot　were
  used。　Animal　skins　were　dyed　black　with　gall　apples
  and　sulphate　of　iron　（copper）。　Brown　pigments　were
  made　by　mixing　different　kinds　of　ochre。　Under　the
  name　of　Alexander　blue；　the　ancientsEgyptians　as
  well　as　Greeks　and　Romansused　a　pigment　containing
  oxide　of　copper；　and　also　one　containing　cobalt。
  Fabrics　were　dyed　blue　by　means　of　pastel…wood。
  Yellow　pigments　were　principally　derived　from　weld；
  saffron；　and　other　native　plants。
  Vermilion；　red　ochre；　and　minium　（red　lead）　were
  known　from　a　remote　antiquity；　although　the　artificial
  preparation　of　vermilion　was　a　secret　possessed
  only　by　the　Chinese。
  The　term　scarlet　as　employed　in　the　Old　Testament
  was　used　to　designate　the　blood…red　color　procured
  from　an　insect　somewhat　resembling　cochineal；　found
  in　great　quantities　in　Armenia　and　other　eastern
  countries。　The　Arabian　name　of　the　insect　is　Kermez
  （whence　crimson）。　It　frequents　the　boughs　of　a　species
  of　the　ilex　tree：　on　these　it　lays　its　eggs　in　groups；
  which　become　covered　with　a　sort　of　down；　so　that
  they　present　the　appearance　of　vegetable　galls　or
  excrescences　from　the　tree　itself　and　are　described　as
  such　by　Pliny　XVI；　12；　who　also　gave　it　the　name　of
  granum；　probably　on　account　of　its　resemblance　to　a
  grain　or　berry；　which　has　been　adopted　by　more　recent
  writers　and　is　the　origin　of　the　term　〃ingrain　color〃
  as　now　in　use。　The　dye　is　procured　from　the　female
  grub　alone；　which；　when　alive　is　about　the　size　of　the
  kernel　of　a　cherry　and　of　a　dark　red…brown　color；　but
  when　dead；　shrivels　up　to　the　size