[MR] Quick Lime (Lye)

[Towey, Brian]

Thanks!  I hope that wasn't too pedantic.

Soda ash is sodium carbonate (Na2CO3).  I'm not sure how it was made in
period, perhaps by burning salt with something.  In some cases, it was mined
from natural deposits such as those of the Wadi Natron in Egypt.  When
hydrated, it is washing soda.

Soda ash is also ancient, being an essential component of glass and certain
pottery glazes.

It would be cool to have an SCA workshop on medieval industrial chemistry,
eh?  First we make charcoal and pitch in a fire pit.  Then, we use the
charcoal to calcine some lime and burn some salt.  Then, we make whitewash,
cement, and lye.  Then, we add sand to soda and make glass, mix lye with fat
and make soap, mix sand and lime to make cement, etc....

-BT

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	thurman [SMTP:hillth at navair.navy.mil]
> Sent:	Thursday, May 10, 2001 12:50 PM
> To:	Towey, Brian
> Subject:	Re: [MR] Quick Lime (Lye)
> 
> Wow. I feel so Educated! So, along that line... what is soda ash?
> 
> 
> > ...or made by mixing slaked lime with soda ash...
> >
>