Description
Ink was a dark liquid used in writing or marking. Because it was difficult to store liquids for any length of time in the dry conditions of the Middle East, ink was sometimes made from black charcoal carbon. This was mixed with gum or oil and then dried. When the scribe was ready to write, he dipped his pen tip in water and then rubbed it on the ink block. The water dissolved a small amount of the carbon, forming the ink.
Translation
The use of ink is so universal at the present time that some term or expression for it is almost inevitable in all languages. In some cases the equivalent is a descriptive phrase, for example, “black stain” or “writing mark.”