Archaeologists in the Jiroft region of Kerman province in southeastern Iran have made a remarkable discovery – a 3,600-year-old red lipstick, believed to be the oldest ever found. Unearthed from a looted gravesite, this Bronze-Age cosmetic artefact provides a captivating glimpse into the beauty practices of a bygone era, shedding light on the sophistication of ancient cultures.
The lipstick, showcased in a vial reminiscent of modern lipstick tubes, was found alongside other artefacts in 2001 when the Halil river flooded several graveyards from the 3rd millennium BCE. Despite looting by locals, this ancient makeup made its way to a local museum. Comprising a reddish substance made of minerals, such as hematite, darkened by manganite and braunite, with small amounts of galena and anglesite, the colour and waxy texture of the 3,600-year-old lipstick closely resemble contemporary lipstick recipes.
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