Researchers have discovered the oldest known lead-containing skin whitening cosmetics in a tomb of a noble from over 2,700 years ago in China.
This new finding indicates that ancient Chinese people were using skin whitening cream nearly 300 years before the Romans. White residue was found in six bronze jars buried in the tomb of a noble who lived in northern China during the early Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC), as reported by Mail on September 6.
Location of the jars containing white residue found in the tomb. (Photo: Bin Han)
Previously, experts believed that the Romans pioneered the production of skin whitening creams. Research results indicated that they began using such creams around 500 BC, but this new discovery proves that ancient Chinese were the pioneers in producing skin whitening cosmetics. The team of archaeologists from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) also emphasized that the white residue could be older than the tomb itself.
The use of lead in skin whitening cosmetics can pose several health risks, including lead poisoning, skin damage, and even death. However, fair skin was highly valued and appeared in many ancient Chinese artworks.
After analyzing the white residue, the UCAS research team identified it as cerussite, a lead carbonate mineral and an important lead ore. Cerussite is also toxic to the human body. “Although the age of the lead carbonate does not match the burial date of the tomb, the discovery still reveals the artificial origin of the sample,” the research team concluded in a report published in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences. They also identified phosgenite containing lead chlorocarbonate in the powder, indicating that the artificial cosmetics were created by mixing two types of minerals.
Not only the Chinese nobility but also Japanese samurai used lead-containing cosmetics. A study in 2012 found that children from samurai families suffered from severe lead poisoning due to the cosmetics their mothers used, leading to deformities as they grew up.
