Writing sand

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Writing sand (also scattering sand or extinguishing sand ) is a fine-grained sand that was used in the past to dry ink that was wet from writing . The inks of the Middle Ages dried more slowly than today's inks. The writing sand was either colored, fine sea or river sand , smashed or burned other materials or powdered (often blue) glass, also rust-brown iron filings . The writing sand / sand was in sand cans . Remains of sand can still be found in many bound historical documents.

Later, blotting paper was used instead .

Before the invention of blotting paper, the extraction of sand was an additional source of income for gold washers on the Rhine . In addition, the nickname of the Electorate of Brandenburg is derived from this circumstance : Because of the sandy soil, it was called the sandbox of the empire .

literature

  • Klaus Müller: Inkwell and blotting paper: history and development of a writing fluid , Verlag Müller, Landau, 3rd edition 1999, ISBN 3-933423-21-X