Gaby
A rare find has emerged from the Giroft region in southeast Iran. An international team says the area’s ancient inhabitants were painting their lips as far back as the second millennium B.C. The lipstick could be the oldest yet found and was probably applied with a brush.
What the researchers found
This Bronze Age lipstick, a deep red color, came in a chlorite vial. It was first uncovered in 2001 when a severe flood washed away an ancient cemetery, exposing numerous artifacts. Researchers have now analyzed the find using modern methods. Radiocarbon dating, in particular, indicated that the lipstick was made between 1936 and 1687 B.C.
The team wrote that the prehistoric cosmetic “is not all that surprising, considering the ancient, well-known technical and aesthetic tradition in the cosmetics of ancient Iran.”
Earlier, archaeologists found foundations, eyeshadows, and black eyeliners in the Middle East and Egypt. But dark red pigments like the Giroft lipstick’s remained largely unexplored.
The team performed a chemical analysis of the residue in the vial, which now resembles a fine purple powder. The analysis found that the residue primarily contains hematite, or red iron ore, prized for its intense color. They also identified manganite, braunite, galena, and anglesite. The ancient cosmetic maker likely added plant waxes to the mixture, perhaps for fragrance.
The researchers identified particles of quartz from ground sand or crystals, which the team says could have given the lipstick a shimmering effect. Currently, the quartz is flaking off the deteriorating container, according to IFLScience.
The authors wrote that the mixture “bears a striking resemblance to modern lipsticks” in its formulation. The vial is elegantly decorated with fine engravings and doesn’t resemble any other known ancient cosmetic bottle. The authors proposed “the idea that cosmetic products in ancient times were marked, packaged, and sold in standard containers of unique shapes, allowing for easy identification.”
Professor Massimo Vidali from the University of Padua, the study’s lead author, said the item was a luxury that “played a significant role in shaping social interactions within the hierarchies of early cities.”
The results were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
