The oldest lipstick in the world is about 4 thousand years old and is 'made in Iran'. Color: dark red. This was discovered by a group of researchers from the University of Padua specialized in archaeology, chemistry and mineralogy, in collaboration with colleagues from the Faculty of Archeology of the University of Tehran. The study, entitled 'A Bronze Age lip-paint from southeastern Iran', is published in 'Scientific Reports' (Nature group).
The team – as reported by UniPd – analyzed and identified the contents of a finely sculpted chlorite bottle, dated by radiocarbon between 1900 and 1700 BC. According to the scientists' investigations, it is a dark red cosmetic preparation, based of hematite, manganite and braunite mixed with waxes and vegetable oils, probably used to color the lips considering the composition very similar to that of a modern lipstick.
Minimal traces of lead, it was the elite who wore makeup in formal contexts and ceremonies
“This discovery – states Massimo Vidale of the Cultural Heritage Department of the University of Padua, corresponding author of the article – adds to the results of a line of research which reveals how the artisans of ancient Iran had already developed knowledge 5-4 thousand years ago very advanced on metallic compounds, natural, but also synthetic, which allowed the production not only of kohl (our black eye pencil), but also of foundations based on lead carbonate (white lead) and eye shadows which, thanks to the addition of copper and lead chlorocarbonates, and perhaps urea, changed the light basic color towards shades of blue and green”.
“The fact that the newly discovered 'lipstick', presumably to be applied to the lips, contains only minimal traces of lead minerals – underlines the teacher – suggests that the 'communities of practice' of this technology were aware of the dangers of direct ingestion of this metal. It also suggests the possibility that female makeup, in formal and ceremonial social contexts, was an important component of the public manifestation of the dominant role of an elite stratum of the population.”
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