Publicação
The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia
| Resumo: | In this study, total mercury (THg) was analyzed in archaeological human bone from 23 sites dating to between the Middle Neolithic and the Antiquity. A total of 370 individuals from individual or collective burials was sampled, mostly using cortical bone from the humerus. These individuals were recovered from over 50 different funerary structures ranging from tholoi, pits, caves, and hypogea. Although cinnabar (HgS) is a likely cause of mercury poisoning and toxicity for people exposed to this mineral from mining or use as a paint or pigment, not all sites investigated here had cinnabar associated with the burials or other excavated areas. We found unusual levels of THg in many of the sampled individuals that we assume were caused by exposure to cinnabar in life, and not by diagenetic processes or other exposures to mercury such as through diet, which would only cause negligible accumulation of THg in bone. Our data, based on the largest sampling ever undertaken on contamination of human bone through archaeological evidence, provide a baseline for additional research on cinnabar and its use in Prehistory. Moderate to high levels of THg in human bone are mainly associated with societies dating from the second half of the 4th to late 3rd millennia B.C. (Late Neolithic to Middle Chalcolithic) in southern Iberia. By the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, the use of cinnabar decreased significantly and became minimal or absent. The use and abuse of cinnabar appears to have been pervasive throughout the above-mentioned period and particularly between c. 2900–2300 B.C. This occurred in connection with the high symbolic and probably sacred value of the substance, which was sought after, traded, and extensively used in a variety of rituals and social practices. |
|---|---|
| Autores principais: | Emslie, Steven D. |
| Outros Autores: | Silva, Ana Maria; Valera, António; Vijande Vila, Eduardo; Melo, Linda; Curate, Francisco; Fidalgo, Daniel; Inácio, Nuno; Molina Moreno, María; Cambra‐Moo, Oscar; González Martín, Armando; Barroso‐Bermejo, Rosa; Montero Artús, Raquel; García Sanjuán, Leonardo |
| Assunto: | Funerary sites Human cortical bone Late Prehistory Total mercury Toxicity |
| Ano: | 2021 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso restrito |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| _version_ | 1865920823609524224 |
|---|---|
| author | Emslie, Steven D. |
| author2 | Silva, Ana Maria Valera, António Vijande Vila, Eduardo Melo, Linda Curate, Francisco Fidalgo, Daniel Inácio, Nuno Molina Moreno, María Cambra‐Moo, Oscar González Martín, Armando Barroso‐Bermejo, Rosa Montero Artús, Raquel García Sanjuán, Leonardo |
| author2_role | author author author author author author author author author author author author author |
| author_facet | Emslie, Steven D. Emslie, Steven D. Silva, Ana Maria Valera, António Vijande Vila, Eduardo Melo, Linda Curate, Francisco Fidalgo, Daniel Inácio, Nuno Molina Moreno, María Cambra‐Moo, Oscar González Martín, Armando Barroso‐Bermejo, Rosa Montero Artús, Raquel García Sanjuán, Leonardo Silva, Ana Maria Valera, António Vijande Vila, Eduardo Melo, Linda Curate, Francisco Fidalgo, Daniel Inácio, Nuno Molina Moreno, María Cambra‐Moo, Oscar González Martín, Armando Barroso‐Bermejo, Rosa Montero Artús, Raquel García Sanjuán, Leonardo |
| author_role | author |
| contributor_name_str_mv | Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto da ULisboa |
| country_str | PT |
| creators_json_str | [{\"Person.name\":\"Emslie, Steven D.\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Silva, Ana Maria\",\"Person.identifier.orcid\":\"0000-0002-1912-6581\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Valera, António\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Vijande Vila, Eduardo\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Melo, Linda\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Curate, Francisco\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Fidalgo, Daniel\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Inácio, Nuno\",\"Person.identifier.orcid\":\"0000-0001-7152-677X\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Molina Moreno, María\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Cambra‐Moo, Oscar\"},{\"Person.name\":\"González Martín, Armando\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Barroso‐Bermejo, Rosa\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Montero Artús, Raquel\"},{\"Person.name\":\"García Sanjuán, Leonardo\"}] |
| datacite.contributors.contributor.contributorName.fl_str_mv | Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto da ULisboa |
| datacite.creators.creator.creatorName.fl_str_mv | Emslie, Steven D. Silva, Ana Maria Valera, António Vijande Vila, Eduardo Melo, Linda Curate, Francisco Fidalgo, Daniel Inácio, Nuno Molina Moreno, María Cambra‐Moo, Oscar González Martín, Armando Barroso‐Bermejo, Rosa Montero Artús, Raquel García Sanjuán, Leonardo |
| datacite.date.Accepted.fl_str_mv | 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z |
| datacite.date.available.fl_str_mv | 2023-03-29T09:57:08Z |
| datacite.date.embargoed.fl_str_mv | 2023-03-29T09:57:08Z |
| datacite.rights.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_16ec |
| datacite.subjects.subject.fl_str_mv | Funerary sites Human cortical bone Late Prehistory Total mercury Toxicity |
| datacite.titles.title.fl_str_mv | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia |
| dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv | Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto da ULisboa |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv | Emslie, Steven D. Silva, Ana Maria Valera, António Vijande Vila, Eduardo Melo, Linda Curate, Francisco Fidalgo, Daniel Inácio, Nuno Molina Moreno, María Cambra‐Moo, Oscar González Martín, Armando Barroso‐Bermejo, Rosa Montero Artús, Raquel García Sanjuán, Leonardo |
| dc.date.Accepted.fl_str_mv | 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z |
| dc.date.available.fl_str_mv | 2023-03-29T09:57:08Z |
| dc.date.embargoed.fl_str_mv | 2023-03-29T09:57:08Z |
| dc.format.none.fl_str_mv | application/pdf |
| dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv | http://hdl.handle.net/10451/56885 |
| dc.language.none.fl_str_mv | eng |
| dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv | Wiley |
| dc.rights.cclincense.fl_str_mv | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_16ec |
| dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv | Funerary sites Human cortical bone Late Prehistory Total mercury Toxicity |
| dc.title.fl_str_mv | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia |
| dc.type.none.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 |
| description | In this study, total mercury (THg) was analyzed in archaeological human bone from 23 sites dating to between the Middle Neolithic and the Antiquity. A total of 370 individuals from individual or collective burials was sampled, mostly using cortical bone from the humerus. These individuals were recovered from over 50 different funerary structures ranging from tholoi, pits, caves, and hypogea. Although cinnabar (HgS) is a likely cause of mercury poisoning and toxicity for people exposed to this mineral from mining or use as a paint or pigment, not all sites investigated here had cinnabar associated with the burials or other excavated areas. We found unusual levels of THg in many of the sampled individuals that we assume were caused by exposure to cinnabar in life, and not by diagenetic processes or other exposures to mercury such as through diet, which would only cause negligible accumulation of THg in bone. Our data, based on the largest sampling ever undertaken on contamination of human bone through archaeological evidence, provide a baseline for additional research on cinnabar and its use in Prehistory. Moderate to high levels of THg in human bone are mainly associated with societies dating from the second half of the 4th to late 3rd millennia B.C. (Late Neolithic to Middle Chalcolithic) in southern Iberia. By the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, the use of cinnabar decreased significantly and became minimal or absent. The use and abuse of cinnabar appears to have been pervasive throughout the above-mentioned period and particularly between c. 2900–2300 B.C. This occurred in connection with the high symbolic and probably sacred value of the substance, which was sought after, traded, and extensively used in a variety of rituals and social practices. |
| dirty | 0 |
| eu_rights_str_mv | restrictedAccess |
| format | article |
| fulltext.url.fl_str_mv | https://repositorio.ulisboa.pt/bitstreams/850565ca-d16a-4c91-a7d6-93d17ec22263/download |
| id | ul_a35fda47d7f6baa69e71ff0905c17421 |
| identifier.url.fl_str_mv | http://hdl.handle.net/10451/56885 |
| instacron_str | ul |
| institution | Universidade de Lisboa |
| instname_str | Universidade de Lisboa |
| language | eng |
| network_acronym_str | ul |
| network_name_str | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| oai_identifier_str | oai:repositorio.ulisboa.pt:10451/56885 |
| organization_str_mv | urn:organizationAcronym:ul |
| person_str_mv | Emslie, Steven D. Silva, Ana Maria Silva, Ana Maria https://www.ciencia-id.pt/F21D-4659-29AB F21D-4659-29AB http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1912-6581 0000-0002-1912-6581 Valera, António Vijande Vila, Eduardo Melo, Linda Curate, Francisco Fidalgo, Daniel Inácio, Nuno Inácio, Nuno http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7152-677X 0000-0001-7152-677X Molina Moreno, María Cambra‐Moo, Oscar González Martín, Armando Barroso‐Bermejo, Rosa Montero Artús, Raquel García Sanjuán, Leonardo |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher.none.fl_str_mv | Wiley |
| reponame_str | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| repository_id_str | urn:repositoryAcronym:ul |
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| spelling | engWileypt_PTIn this study, total mercury (THg) was analyzed in archaeological human bone from 23 sites dating to between the Middle Neolithic and the Antiquity. A total of 370 individuals from individual or collective burials was sampled, mostly using cortical bone from the humerus. These individuals were recovered from over 50 different funerary structures ranging from tholoi, pits, caves, and hypogea. Although cinnabar (HgS) is a likely cause of mercury poisoning and toxicity for people exposed to this mineral from mining or use as a paint or pigment, not all sites investigated here had cinnabar associated with the burials or other excavated areas. We found unusual levels of THg in many of the sampled individuals that we assume were caused by exposure to cinnabar in life, and not by diagenetic processes or other exposures to mercury such as through diet, which would only cause negligible accumulation of THg in bone. Our data, based on the largest sampling ever undertaken on contamination of human bone through archaeological evidence, provide a baseline for additional research on cinnabar and its use in Prehistory. Moderate to high levels of THg in human bone are mainly associated with societies dating from the second half of the 4th to late 3rd millennia B.C. (Late Neolithic to Middle Chalcolithic) in southern Iberia. By the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, the use of cinnabar decreased significantly and became minimal or absent. The use and abuse of cinnabar appears to have been pervasive throughout the above-mentioned period and particularly between c. 2900–2300 B.C. This occurred in connection with the high symbolic and probably sacred value of the substance, which was sought after, traded, and extensively used in a variety of rituals and social practices.application/pdfpt_PTThe use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age IberiaEmslie, Steven D.PersonalSilva, Ana MariaDSpacehttp://dspace.org/items/2bd9c836-5465-4034-afd9-f3d50381488cDSpacehttp://dspace.org/items/2bd9c836-5465-4034-afd9-f3d50381488cSilvaAna MariaCiência IDhttps://www.ciencia-id.ptF21D-4659-29ABORCIDhttp://orcid.org0000-0002-1912-6581Researcher IDhttps://www.researcherid.comE-6281-2015Scopus Author IDhttps://www.scopus.com55939389400Valera, AntónioVijande Vila, EduardoMelo, LindaCurate, FranciscoFidalgo, DanielPersonalInácio, NunoDSpacehttp://dspace.org/items/c492278e-8be7-414b-bd9e-7da34486b905DSpacehttp://dspace.org/items/c492278e-8be7-414b-bd9e-7da34486b905Franco InácioNuno Miguel deORCIDhttp://orcid.org0000-0001-7152-677XResearcher IDhttps://www.researcherid.comK-7610-2018Molina Moreno, MaríaCambra‐Moo, OscarGonzález Martín, ArmandoBarroso‐Bermejo, RosaMontero Artús, RaquelGarcía Sanjuán, LeonardoHostingInstitutionOrganizationalRepositório Científico de Acesso Aberto da ULisboae-mailmailto:repositorio@reitoria.ulisboa.ptrepositorio@reitoria.ulisboa.ptISSNIsPartOf1047-482XDOIIsPartOfhttps://doi.org/10.1002/oa.30562023-03-29T09:57:08Z20212021-01-01T00:00:00ZHandlehttp://hdl.handle.net/10451/56885http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_16ecrestricted accessFunerary sitesHuman cortical boneLate PrehistoryTotal mercuryToxicity1179900 bytesliteraturehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501journal article2021http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_16ecapplication/pdffulltexthttps://repositorio.ulisboa.pt/bitstreams/850565ca-d16a-4c91-a7d6-93d17ec22263/downloadInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology321202214 |
| spellingShingle | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia Emslie, Steven D. Funerary sites Human cortical bone Late Prehistory Total mercury Toxicity Emslie, Steven D. Funerary sites Human cortical bone Late Prehistory Total mercury Toxicity |
| status | SINGLETON |
| subject.fl_str_mv | Funerary sites Human cortical bone Late Prehistory Total mercury Toxicity |
| title | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia |
| title_full | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia |
| title_fullStr | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia |
| title_short | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia |
| title_sort | The use and abuse of cinnabar in Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia |
| topic | Funerary sites Human cortical bone Late Prehistory Total mercury Toxicity |
| topic_facet | Funerary sites Human cortical bone Late Prehistory Total mercury Toxicity |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10451/56885 |
| visible | 1 |