vase fabricated in part from natron, dating to the
New Kingdom of Egypt (c. 1450–1350 BC) Historical natron was harvested directly as a salt mixture from dry lake beds in
ancient Egypt, and has been used for thousands of years as a cleaning product for both the home and body. Blended with oil, it was an early form of
soap. It
softens water while removing oil and grease. Undiluted, natron was a cleanser for the teeth and an early
mouthwash. The mineral was mixed into early
antiseptics for wounds and minor cuts. Natron can be used to dry and preserve fish and meat. It was also an ancient household insecticide, and was used for making leather as well as a bleach for clothing. The mineral was used during
mummification ceremonies in ancient Egypt because it absorbs water and behaves as a drying agent. Moreover, when exposed to moisture, the
carbonate in natron increases
pH (raises
alkalinity), which creates a hostile environment for bacteria. In some cultures, natron was thought to enhance spiritual safety for both the living and the dead. Natron was added to
castor oil to make a
smokeless fuel, which allowed Egyptian artisans to paint elaborate artworks inside ancient tombs without staining them with soot. The
Pyramid Texts describe how natron pellets were used as funerary offerings in the rites for the pharaoh "N". The ceremony required two kinds of natron: one sourced from northern (Lower) Egypt and one from southern (Upper) Egypt. Natron is an ingredient in the making of a distinct color called
Egyptian blue, and also as the
flux in
Egyptian faience. It was used along with
sand and
lime in ceramic and
glass making by the Romans and others until at least AD 640. The mineral was also employed as a flux to solder precious metals together.
Decline in use Most of natron's uses both in the home and by industry were gradually replaced with closely related sodium compounds and minerals. Natron's
detergent properties are now commercially supplied by
soda ash (pure sodium carbonate), the mixture's chief compound ingredient, along with other chemicals. Soda ash also replaced natron in the
ancient glass trade. Some of its ancient household roles are also now filled by ordinary
baking soda, which is
sodium bicarbonate, natron's other key ingredient. == Chemistry of hydrated sodium carbonate ==