Abstract
Vermillion has been shown to be useful in preserving human bones from 5000 years ago. Remarkably well-preserved human bones have been found in the dolmenic burial ‘La Velilla’ in Osorno (Palencia, Spain), carefully covered by pulverized cinnabar (vermillion) which ensured their preservation even in non-favorable climatic conditions. We believe the red powder was deliberately deposited for preservative use because no cinnabar mine is to be found within 160 km, because of the large amount (hundreds of kilograms) used, and because its composition, red mercuric sulphide, is similar to that of preparations used in technical embalming. This finding pushes back the data of the use of mercury ore for preservation by four millennia in South America, and by at least one millennium in the Old World. Chemical and thermal analyses of vermillion in La Velilla have demonstrated its great purity and shown that the cinnabar was pulverized and washed (but not heated), producing a bright red-orange tone.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Schwartz, A. T., and Kauffman, G. B., J. Chem. Educ.53 (1976) 235.
Holden, C., Science265 (1994) 1655.
Zapatero-Magdaleno, P., in: Publicaciones de la Institución Tello Téllez de Meneses, p. 9. Palencia 1988.
Misiego, J. C., Marcos-Contreras, G. J., Sarabia-Herrero, F. J., Martín-Gil, J., and Martín-Gil, F. J., in: Seminario de Estudios de Arte y Arqueología. Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid 1993.
The Merck Index. An encyclopedia of chemicals and drugs, p. 765. Merck & Co., Inc. Rahway, NJ 1976.
Shimada, I., and Griffin, J. A., Investigación y Cinencia, (1994) 54.
Siret, E., and Siret, L., Las primeras edades del Metal en el sudeste de España, Henrich and Ca., Barcelona 1890.
Stillman, J. M., The Story of Early Chemistry, D. Appleton and Co., New York 1924.
Ramos-Sánchez, M. C., Martín-Gil, J., and Martín-Gil, F. J., in: Estudios sobre Historia de la Ciencia y de la Técnica, t.I. Junta de Castilla y León, p. 223. Ed. Sever-Cuesta. Valladolid 1988.
Coliez, A., in: De la conservation artificielle des corps. Historique Technique moderne des Embauments, p. 18. Ed. A. Legrand. Paris 1930.
Renfrew, C., and Bahn, P., Archaelogy: Theories, Methods and Practice. Thames and Hudson Ltd., London 1991.
Delibes de Castro, G., Alonso Díez, M., and Rojo Guerra, M. A., in: El Megalitismo en la Península Ibérica, p. 181. Ministerio de Cultura, Madríd 1987.
Caley, E. R., J. Chem. Educ.5 (1928) 419.
Levy, P., El Sistema Periódico, p. 107. Alianza Editorial, Madrid 1988.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Martín-Gil, J., Martín-Gil, F.J., Delibes-de-Castro, G. et al. The first known use of vermillion. Experientia 51, 759–761 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01922425
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01922425