Table 1 Radiocarbon dates of ancient cosmetics made with cerussite or phosgenite

From: Absolute dating of lead carbonates in ancient cosmetics by radiocarbon

Period and Louvre Museum sample label

Main compound

Expected period (years)

pMC

Radiocarbon date ± 30 (years BP)

Calibrated date (years cal BC) −(95.4%)

Greek period AGER-CA508 cosmetics

Cerussite21

360-196 calBC40

330-266 BC21

76.60 ± 0.23

2140

353-57

Egyptian New Kingdom

a

Phosgenite24

18th dynasty: −1550/−1425

66.45 ± 0.24

3280

1630-1497

b

65.68 ± 0.32

3375

1763-1534

E 22326 cosmetics

c

66.79 ± 0.19

3240

1611-1439

d

68.47 ± 0.21

3040

1397-1216

Egyptian New Kingdom

E 22326 container

Wood

Amenhotep III: 1423-1348 calBC22, 23

67.21 ± 0.26

3190

1514-1412

  1. These Egyptian and Greek cosmetics are composed of cerussite (PbCO3) or phosgenite (Pb2Cl2CO3). The radiocarbon date of the Egyptian wood cylinder containing the phosgenite powders is reported for comparison. See Supplementary Tables 1, 2, 4 for more details.
Back to article page