According to a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports , archaeologists have recovered Bronze Age cosmetics at Jiroft, a city in southeastern Iran, after the Halil River overflowed and inundated several nearby cemeteries in the third millennium BC.
The bright red substance contained within the small stone jar may be one of the oldest known types of lipstick in the world .
A Bronze Age jar (left) and a microscopic image showing the composition of the pigment, enhanced with color to distinguish each mineral. (Source: Massimo Vidale via Scientific Reports; CC BY 4.0 DEED)
The researchers wrote in their study that the strong currents pushed the elaborately carved jar to the surface along with many other artifacts, many of which were subsequently taken by local people. The items found, including the lipstick, are now part of the collection of the Jiroft Archaeological Museum.
The oldest lipstick
To learn more about this ancient lip lacquer, researchers analyzed the red pigment using radiocarbon dating and determined that it was up to 4,000 years old, dating from sometime between 1936 BC and 1687 BC.
Researchers found that the pigment mixture was primarily created using crushed hematite, an oxide mineral, which produces a vibrant red color, along with other minerals such as manganite and braunite. Quartz particles were also added to the mixture, either to soften the color or to add a shimmering effect.
The lip pigment also contains traces of plant fibers, which may have been added for fragrance. The authors wrote in the study that the pigment itself bears a striking resemblance to modern lipstick.
Although archaeologists are unsure who owned these cosmetics, they know that these beauty products were commonly used by Iranian women during that period.
According to The Circle of Ancient Iran Studies , a non-profit educational program, other popular cosmetic products include a black powder called sormeh, used as eyeliner, and henna, used to dye hair and skin.
"Currently, this may be the oldest type of lip gloss we know of," said Vidale, the lead researcher on the project. "But I hope that even older evidence will be identified by other colleagues."
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