Although the ancient Egyptians already used inks 5000 years ago, inks and their properties have been continuously improved and refined over thousands of years. Nevertheless, the basic principle of tinta acqua (colored water) remains the same. Today, in addition to inks based on dissolved dyes, there are many which contain pigments in solid form. Unlike dyes, pigments do not dissolve in the medium but are present in dispersed form, e.g. as suspensions. Pigment-based inks have an advantage over those containing dissolved dyes: after drying, they are light-stable and less sensitive towards water or other solvents. They also have higher color intensity. This is an important criterion for the 'permanent document' quality rating more