62 



MESSRS. H. E. STAPLETON AND R, F. AZO 



(n) Phials (Qawarir) for the process of ' Takhniq, n similar to those used for holding 



rose-water. 

 (12) A large Bottle for the dissolution of all the medicine, a process which occupies 



33 days. The entire period of dissolution for the making of silver is therefore 73 



days, besides the days on which the medicines are being prepared for dissolution. 



And God is the Giver of Success ! 



" An Account of the Instruments, either purchased or chosen (?), for the 



preparation of 'the Red.' " 



" Muhammad ibn 'Abdi-1- Malik saith : Among them are: — 



(1) A Salayah and a Fihr for pounding Zinjar and other selected medicines. 



(2) Two large earthenware Jars glazed inside, and provided with lids, for heating 



purposes." 



W////0A 



Description 0/ the ' UthaV {Aludel), with its Furnace. 



[The treatment of a mixture of various substances is being described.] 

 " Having pounded it (i.e., the mixture), you take the three pots of the Uthal which 



are of this shape, the length of each being a cubit, 2 

 the aperture one span, and the lips projecting about four 

 finger-breadths. They are constructed by potters of 

 ' gkadhar,'* and are glazed on the inside. 



In addition, take three round-bottomed covers, also 

 made of baked gkadhar, but unglazed. Their sides 

 are pierced with a hole at 'four fingers ' distance from 

 the top, measuring towards the rim, the size of the hole 

 being such that a stick of the thickness of a bodkin can enter, to extract the moisture 

 and by means of which the progress of the sublimation may be studied. The diameter of 

 the covers is exactly the same as that of the lips of the uthal. 



If these vessels cannot be procured, you take (a) a cup made of gkadhar, or a ' Sagkar,'* 

 and (6) a large green jar or a • BusMgah,' 5 of the capacity of two ' dauraqs ' of water, the 

 weight of each dauraq being 1040 dirhams. You cut it (i.e., whichever one of the latter 

 you choose) into two halves with a saw and take the lower half for conversion into an 



uthal. 



The method of doing this is as follows. You prepare a large disc (furs) of the 'Clay of 



Black 

 Red. 



Fig. 6. 



1 According to another treatise in the Rampur MS ., the process of Takhniq (lit. ' strangling ') is a kind of sublimation. The sub- 

 stance under treatment is placed in a short-necked phial and heated gently until it has volatilised into the neck. 



2 Lit. ' the arm bone. ' 



5 A special kind of greenish clay. 

 * A large drinking cup (Persian). 



6 An elongated jar for storing butter and other supplies (Persian). Taking a ' atl ' as equal to i lb. of water, the capacity of the 

 bustuqah here mentioned would be a little more than l\ gallons. 



