A Bronze Age lip-paint from southeastern Iran

Area of Science:

• Archaeological Science
• Material Science
• Ancient Cosmetics

Background:

• A chlorite vial containing a red cosmetic was recovered from the Jiroft region, Iran.
• The cosmetic is a deep red paint or paste, likely for lip coloring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the composition and determine the age of an ancient cosmetic preparation.
• To investigate the technological and cultural context of Bronze Age cosmetics in the ancient Near East.

Main Methods:

• X-ray diffraction (XRD) for mineral identification.
• Scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) for elemental analysis.
• High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) for organic compound identification.
• Radiocarbon dating for age determination.

Main Results:

• The cosmetic's mineral components include hematite, manganite, braunite, galena, and anglesite.
• Organic components identified were vegetal waxes and other substances.
• The mixture composition closely resembles modern lipstick formulations.
• Radiocarbon dating established the cosmetic's age to the early 2nd millennium BCE.

Conclusions:

• The analyzed cosmetic represents a sophisticated ancient Near Eastern formulation.
• The dating aligns with the Bronze Age Marḫaši civilization and Mesopotamian records.
• This finding provides new insights into ancient cosmetic practices and trade networks.