Recently, researchers discovered that when Egyptian blue is irradiated with visible light, exceptionally strong infrared emission is observed. To this day, this artificial pigment can be found on myriad forms of art from the early Egyptian dynasties until the end of the Roman period. The first synthetic pigment “Egyptian Blue" was concocted more than 4,500 years ago by grinding and heating a mixture of sand, copper and natron. In addition to its historic use for preservation, natron was very popular among Egyptian artists. This alkaline combo created a hostile environment for bacteria. The Egyptians also preserved their meat and fish by mixing natron with salt.
Mummification is based on natron’s ability to absorb water and thus dry out a body. This mineral was mined as a powdery solid from dry lakebeds near the Nile and had many practical applications in Ancient Egypt. Natron is hydrated sodium carbonate with the formula Na 2(CO 3)10(H 2O). Later, in order to protect the bodies from wild animals, the Egyptians developed a method of preservation to ensure the bodies would remain 'lifelike' by using a special mineral known as natron. Records indicate that the earliest ancient Egyptians buried their dead in the desert where the heat and dryness of the sand dehydrated the bodies creating natural 'mummies'.
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