Egyptian blue, also known as calcium copper silicate or cuprorivaite, is a pigment used by Egyptians for thousands of years. It is considered to be the first synthetic pigment. The pigment was known to the Romans by the name caeruleum. After the Roman era, Egyptian Blue fell from usage and the manner of its creation was forgotten.
Egyptian blue is closely related to the other vitreous materials produced by the ancient Egyptians, namely glass and Egyptian faience, and it is possible that the Egyptians themselves did not employ separate terms to distinguish the three products from one another.
The first recorded use of Egyptian blue as a color name in English was in 1809.
