[Herbalist] Soap- How would they Have created Lye?

[kingstaste@mindspring.com]

The legends have it (the ones you read in the beginning of the soap books)
that the first soap was made on the mountains where sacrifices to the Gods
took place - the sacrificial animal was burned on a fire.  The rain would
wash down the mountain, through the wood ashes and grease from the sacrifice
and create suds.
I don't know how possible that is, but I can't find any of my soap books
right now, either.
Christianna

-----Original Message-----
From: herbalist-bounces at ansteorra.org
[mailto:herbalist-bounces at ansteorra.org]On Behalf Of BJ of NZ
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 1:59 AM
To: herbalist at ansteorra.org
Subject: [Herbalist] Soap- How would they Have created Lye?


 hi
Bea from NZ- Ildhafn here.

I have been experimenting with soap, and am doing a
soap making class-( very basic ), and it  has lead me
to some interesting Questions.

How would they of created lye?
what would they have used to create the
saphonification process?

most of the recipies I have found  go straight to the
"then add grated Soap" approach.
I'm Hoping  some one on this list can help me.

Urine and wood ash is the only reference I have found,
Urine degrades into Ammonia and salts?
and Wood ash is ?????Potassium????? no idea here?

sodium hydroxide=NaOH (lye)

The "lye for the head" recipie uses Vine shoot ash-
(presumedly hi in Nitrogen)

and the ash of Broom

I havn't figured out what White burned argol is

and once again they grate premade soap into the mix
( is this a case of soap being such a basic recipie no
one wrote it down.

Lye for the head
Half a celemín of sifted vine-shoot ash, and an
almozada of the ash of Spanish broom. Put a pot of
river water or fountain water to the fire and, once it
is boiling, throw that ash inside, and leave it to
boil twice, and then separate it and leave it to rest
until it is clear. And take as much of that lye as an
azumbre, and get out a glass jug, and put in it seven
ounces of white burned argol and lid the jug. Grate an
ounce and a half of Valencian soap and throw it
inside, and stir it until the lees separate. And comb
or skim the hair with this lye in the sun, and then
wash with other lye. And when it is combed it is with
sesame oil.



 http://www.geocities.com/karen_larsdatter/manual.htm

Manual de mugeres en el qual se contienen muchas y
diversas reçeutas muy buenas
Manual of Women in which is contained many and diverse
very good recipes
a work in progress; translation of an anonymous 16th
century cookbook from Spanish into English. Click here
to read the original.



=====
>From bjofnz at yahoo.co.nz





___________________________________________________________
BT Yahoo! Broadband - Free modem offer, sign up online today and save £80
http://btyahoo.yahoo.co.uk
_______________________________________________
Herbalist mailing list
Herbalist at ansteorra.org
http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/herbalist